The Crownless King Shall Reclaim His Throne
by SapphireShelle91
Summary: What if Smaug had truly been asleep when Bilbo snuck into his bedroom? What if Bilbo found the Arkenstone without issue and returned it to Thorin? How different would our tale be? Full Story Summary inside. Fem!Bilbo
1. Chapter 1

**Full Story Summary:** What if Smaug had truly been asleep when Bilbo snuck into his bedroom? What if Bilbo found the Arkenstone without issue and returned it to Thorin? How different would our tale be?

As a different path unfurls before our company's feet, what new dangers and challenges await them? Will this tale still experience the same heartbreak, betrayal and tragedy that pained us so in The Hobbit? Or is there a slight chance where one small change can make all the difference in the world?

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own The Hobbit. All characters, places and events mention in this fic belong Mister Tolkien, Peter Jackson, New Line Cinema, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and WingNut Films.

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 **The Crownless King Shall Reclaim His Throne**

 **Chapter One**

Bilbo stared, hardly daring to breathe as the mountain of coins, jewels and other such treasures in front of her started moving. Slowly at first, the coins rolling almost lazily down the golden slope before growing steadily faster, coins and jewels starting to spill around her feet but she did not dare move, terror and self-preservation freezing her in place.

She watched in silence, hand pressed firmly to her mouth to try muffle the sound of her ragged breathing, as slowly but surely a huge scaly limb started to appear from above the deteriorating treasure mountain.

 _Here it comes_ , she thought to herself, squeezing her eyes shut, _here comes my death. Thorin I…_

But she could not bear to die with her eyes closed. She needed to look Smaug in the eye before she met her death.

She cautiously opened her eyes and blinked them several times to re-adjust them to the dim light of the massive green marble chamber. The soft tinkle of treasures falling or rolling against each other was still the only sound to be heard within the vast chamber.

She stared at that the now exposed dragon and was taken aback when she saw that it was only a shoulder, rather than say a fire-breathing head protruding above the golden hills.

She glanced quickly behind her and then around her in every direction to make sure the fire-breathing part of Smaug hadn't risen somewhere else.

But… no.

Bilbo was a little dumb-founded.

Was this some kind of trick? To lull her into a false sense of security before striking?

She didn't know how long she simply stood there and watched as the dragon appeared to be simply shifting in his sleep, making himself more comfortable upon his golden horde.

It was strangely… fascinatedly, in an unquestionably terrifying sense. Those huge muscles shifting and moving beneath gleaming blood red scales.

The massive creature finally seemed to find a spot it deemed comfortable, his left shoulder and side now visible above the treasures.

Bilbo cocked her head to one side, for even in the dim light, her eyes have caught sight of something curious about the broad chest of the enormous beast.

There seemed to be a huge black spot, right over the beast heart – or at least where Bilbo might assume its heart to be.

Her mind immediately flashed back to Bard's home, of Bain angrily rushing to the defence of his ancestor;

" _Then you would know that Girion hit the dragon." the boy had cried, moving forward to glare at Thorin who spoken ill against Girion, "He loosen a scale under the left wing. One more shot and he would have killed the beast."_

The boy's claim had been waved off, Dwalin even stating that what the boy claimed was no more than a fairy-tale and nothing more had been spoken on the matter.

But… but it seemed that the boy's claim was true…

"The black arrow found its mark." She whispered, before clapping a hand over her mouth again when she saw the dragon's shoulder muscles twitched.

She waited for several more agony filled moments before she took a cautious step…

 _Clink, clink, clink_

Her head snapped back around to stare at the dragon's shoulder, heart in throat.

The dragon didn't even twitch.

Another few steps.

 _Clink, clink, clink_

Oh, this was truly awful! Never before had she been in a situation quite as terrible as this! Give her trolls, spiders, orcs and goblins! Any other foul and terrible creature that walked or crawled upon Middle-Earth would be preferable than tip-toe-ing around over mountains of coins and jewel while a dragon slept just behind her!

She had always known, even before she had agreed to join this mad quest that there was a dragon within the belly of the mountain they were trying to reclaim. But there was a great difference between knowing something terrible awaits you at the end of a very long journey with miles between you and it and actually seeing the very terrible thing right in front of you with your very own eyes.

 _Oh please_ , she thought as she continued to creep, wincing with each clink of coin against coin under foot, _please let me find that wretched stone and be able to leave here with it and the great worm is none the wiser. Please, please, please._

For an age it felt like to Bilbo as she crept and sometimes slipped her way down slopes after slopes of gold, the dragon's sleeping form left well behind her, but that did not ease any of the tension in her chest and she was frequently glancing over her shoulder to check that the great worm had not waken and was not now watching her with great fiery eyes.

She was all for giving up, to sit down and have a good cry as she did so hate the feeling of being so deep underground in a chamber that felt it would like nothing more than to swallow her whole – the fact that there was a sleeping dragon did not help matters one single bit either – when something just a little ways off, the next golden hill over, caught her eye.

It wasn't a very big something, but it was a _something_ and she supposed that was little better than a whole lot of nothing.

She slipped her way down the slope of coins before making her way to climb up the slope she had spied the something. The something was half way up the slope she was climbing and partially buried beneath coins, but it was definitely there and it was definitely… something.

She gently brushed away the coins that covered the something, her fingers tingling with each brush they made against the _something's_ surface.

Now Bilbo was not an expert on jewels by any means but as she carefully picked up the glowing earth bound star from where it lay surrounded by gold, she felt she was fairly safe in thinking that this was no ordinary gem stone.

"Why, hello there," She breathed as she brought the glowing jewel to eye level, "aren't you a pretty thing!"

The jewel seemed to glow just a little brighter but that was probably only Bilbo's imagination playing tricks on her.

"Are you the Arkenstone?" She asked the jewel, "I very much hope that you are because I would rather like to leave this place, if you don't mind." The jewel of course gave her no answer, but since it was such a pretty thing, the prettiest of all that she had currently seen in this massive chamber of gold, she decided that it must be what she had been hired to burgle.

"As I'm sure you are quite aware," she continued softly to the jewel now clutched tightly to her chest as she started making her way back down the slope, her eyes hunting for the nearest way out of the room. She did not fancy going back the way she came, not when it meant passing Smaug's sleeping form once again, "but there is a sleeping dragon a few golden hills back and I would rather he didn't wake up to try and eat me and my friends."

"I'm not stealing you mind you," She whispered as she crept towards a staircase that hadn't been entirely smashed to pieces when Smaug was redecorating the chamber to his liking, "I'm returning you to your rightful owner."

She did feel a little silly talking to the jewel as she was, but she had read far too many books where a character had become cursed, usually horribly, by a seemingly ordinary objects when they were stole its new owner. It simply wasn't worth the risk.

"Not Thror, unfortunately," Bilbo continued softly, "but his grandson, Thorin." her chest warmed a little as she thought of the dwarf she was speaking of, "He needs you, you see, to set things right with this mountain. To rid this mountain of Smaug and return it back to the dwarves that Smaug stole it from."

She bit down upon her lower lip as she looked back over her shoulder in the direction of Smaug's sleeping form.

"I hope you can help him." She sighed as she slid the jewel into her coat pocket. "I really do."

She made her way to the stair case, breathing a sigh of relief when her foot for the first time in what felt like an age, touched solid stone.

She was just about to make her way up the stairs when a thought slipped into her mind and she turned back to stare out at the mountains upon mountains of gold.

The company had no money…

The last of the company funds had been given to Bard to get them safely to Lake-Town and now they had not a single coin to their names. Which Bilbo was certain was going to be a problem.

They were going to have to return to Lake-Town. There were no if, buts or maybes about it, they had to return to Lake-Town to get supplies for their trip to the Iron Hills to raise an army. And she very much doubted that upon their return, the Master of Lake-Town was going to give them anything unless they had coins or jewels to pay for it.

"He'll probably charge us double for anything we ask for." She muttered a little bitterly, before she start filling a large two handled cup – the most practical thing she could find to carry a sum of coins and small jewels. She wasn't greedy about what she put into the cup, simply practical, taking just enough that she calculated would get the company comfortably to the Iron Hills.

But even so, for what little she had put in the cup to take with her – such a small amount compared to the wealth that lay within this chamber – she felt nervous to take even a single coin with her.

 _Come now Bilbo_ , she thought to herself, feeling both impatient and frighten. She very much wanted to leave the chamber and return to her dwarves and the longer she dwelled the more she feared Smaug waking. _Get to it. It's only a little gold, Smaug will hardly notice_.

Oh, but Bilbo had read about Dragons in Lord Elrond's library and from her own books back home, and she knew that dragons guarded their treasure fiercely and refused to be parted from even a single coin.

"Oh," she whispered with an anxious heart, "what to do?"

They needed money.

They needed money for supplies and probably ponies to get them to the Iron Hills, but the last place she wanted to get money from was here, Smaug's bedroom.

"This gold, all of this," Bilbo whispered firmly to herself, to the gold and jewels, to the chamber and Smaug himself, "all of this belongs to the dwarves. It is rightfully theirs. But," she swallowed, "it was _I_ who took this." She gestured to the cup of coins and jewels beside her. " _Me!_ So… whatever misfortune might come about from my taking this gold, let it befall upon me and nobody else."

She was of course met with silence, but she felt as if her words had taken root… somewhere, though where, Bilbo could not say.

She gave the chamber, the gold and jewels, and even to Smaug himself a firm nod before picking up the full cup of coins and jewels in both hands and started cautiously climbing up the stairs.

She half expected Smaug to wake with a fierce roar, his fire burning as he lunged to swallow her whole as she climbed the stairs but no such event occurred and she left Smaug's bedroom fighting with each step not to break into a terrified bolt.

She was of course, having left the chamber by a staircase on almost the opposite side of the massive room, utterly lost. Which only brought further a new wave of terror and anxiety as she wandered almost aimlessly up one corridor and down another.

She was quite close to finding herself in tears again, when she swore she heard her name being called. It was a very soft call from a great distance away, but it was most certainly her name and she swore it was Bofur who was calling it.

 _That_ , she thought as she moved forward into an awkward jog, _or I've finally lost my mind_.

She prefer to think it was the former of the two options even though she was terrified that Bofur's calls were going to wake Smaug.

She was just jogging down a corridor that she was certain would lead her to Bofur whose calls had been growing ever closer when something reached out and caught her arm as she passed a doorway.

Her scream of terror was only just muffled by a large hand covering her mouth. The cup of coins and jewels hit the stone ground with a loud, painful clang.

"It's me," a gruff but ultimately gentle voice said as she was pulled into a broad chest, "Shhh, it's me. I'm sorry, I did not think." She sagged against Thorin's chest, all of her energy sapped away.

"Thorin?" She choked out finally, giving his arm a weak thump for scary her so badly.

"Yes, it's me." Thorin replied as he held her close as she gasped for air as she tried to calm her pounding heart. "I'm sorry," he apologized again, "that was an utterly stupid thing to do."

"Should have been watching where I was going." Bilbo gasped out, rubbing her hand against her face, only a little shocked to find that her cheeks were wet with fright induced tears.

"But Thorin," She twisted in his arms and took his coat labels between her trembling fingers, "I saw him. I saw Smaug! He did not see me!" She ploughed on when she saw Thorin's eyes widen with panic and his mouth opened to speak, "He seemed to be in a very deep sleep. Or was very good at acting as if he were in a very deep sleep. But-but," She gasped frantically for air which was such a nuisance when she had so much to say, "Thorin, the black arrow, the one Girion shot. It left its mark! Just as Bain said. Right under Smaug's left wing! There is a weak spot where his scale has been knocked away."

"Are-are you certain?" Thorin asked, his hand resting upon her upper arms to try and still her shaking body.

She gave a jerky little nod.

"Yes. His scales on his chest appear to be a lighter colour than the rest of his body and there was a distinct black hole where there seemed to be a scale missing."

"Billanna…"

"BILBO?!"

The two jumped apart and looked in the direction of the yelling from the other dwarves who sounded rather frantic now.

"Yelling?" Bilbo squeaked at Thorin in horror, "Yelling in a mountain where a fire-breathing dragon sleeps?"

"They were worried for you." Thorin replied easily but even he looked torn between being exasperated and troubled over the chance that Smaug might wake from all the noise.

"Even so!" Bilbo shrilled before racing up the corridor they were in towards the direction of the infuriating dwarves who seemed to possess not even a whit of self-preservation between them.

"Shush!" She hissed as loudly as she dared when she and Thorin stumbled upon them. "For the love of all things green in this world, will you be _quiet_! There is a _dragon_!"

"Bilbo!" She was promptly tackled by at least six dwarves while the rest pattered her head over the arms of their comrades.

"Get-off!" Bilbo grumbled feeling quite suffocated and squashed within the dwarven embrace.

"Did you see the Dragon?"

"Did that nasty menace see _you_?!"

Bilbo felt more than a little overwhelmed by the questions that were being hurled in her direction.

"Enough!" Thorin's voice cut cleanly though the air like a sword, silencing everyone in one swoop.

Bilbo staggered a little as she was set back onto her feet.

"Yes, I did see Smaug." Bilbo replied slowly, " _but_ he did not see me. He seemed to be in a very deep sleep." She paused for a moment, thinking before asking "Do Dragons hibernate? Like bears? Only… obviously for much longer…"

"Bilbo…"

"What? I'm curious." Bilbo pouted up at her dwarves who were looking back at her with fond exasperation.

"Curiosity aside," Thorin said, "Bilbo has discovered something important about Smaug that can work to our advantage."

Bilbo quickly filled in the rest of the dwarves about seeing the mark of the black arrow underneath Smaug's left wing.

"Bain was right." Bilbo finished excitedly. When she was met with silence she felt worry descend upon her.

"What? What is it?"

"The boy may have been right." Dwalin growled heavily, "but it is little use to us."

"How can you say that?" Bilbo squeaked impatiently, "Lake-Town has a wind lance, we just need to find some more of those black arrows and then…" she paused and took in the dwarves faces, "are there no more black arrows?"

"The material to make a black arrows," Balin answered her grimly, "are not easy to come by. But," his wise face looked around to Thorin, "not impossible."

"Dain." Thorin nodded.

"Dain." Balin agreed with a nod and then a sigh.

"Now to convince him that it is worthy cause." Balin sighed heavily.

"What do you mean?" Bilbo grumbled, "How is this _anything_ other than a worthy cause? Smaug is _asleep_! He has an obvious weak spot that can be exploited and might possibly kill him with one very good strike! How… why would he turn this down? A chance like this might not come again? Smaug might awaken within another year or two! So why…"

"The Arkenstone." Thorin answered quietly his face pained.

"What about it?" Bilbo asked wondering why on earth this was possibly an issue now.

Thorin gave her a very dry look that was clearly questioning her sanity.

She shot him a mirroring look in return.

"I don't have it." Thorin reminded her slowly causing Bilbo to blink several times before she choke over her own stupidity.

How could she have forgotten to TELL HIM?!

"Yes you do!" She yelped as she jump back and away from the dwarves, almost tripping over her own feet in her haste, furiously patting at her coat.

Oh please tell her that she hadn't dropped the blasted thing! Oh… nope, there it was.

Her fingers dug deep into her coat pocket and tugged the pretty star stone out and held it up for all to see.

"Please tell me that this is the Arkenstone, because believe me when I say that my poor heart could not take another trip down into Smaug's bedroom."

She looked hopefully around at her dwarves, all of whom were staring transfixed at the jewel in her hand.

"You found it." Thorin spoke finally, soundly utterly breathless, his eyes lifting, almost seeming to force themselves to look away from the jewel to stare at her with an expression of awe that was almost equal to the look he had been giving the jewel in her hand.

She blushed hotly and ducked her head shyly.

"I do hope I did, for as I said, I don't fancy going back down into Smaug's bedroom for another look. And when I saw this, it looked…" She struggled to think of an appropriate word to describe the glowing jewel still grasped in her hand, "so ethereal, like it does not truly belong to this world at all, and I thought it must be it." The jewel seemed to glow just a little more brightly in her hand as she spoke.

She raised her eyes to look up at Thorin and the other dwarves.

"Say something." She begged feeling embarrassed but ultimately happy because the looks on the dwarves faces were ones of pure joy and wonder.

"Here," she giggled, catching hold of Thorin's hand and carefully placed the glowing jewel into it, gently closing his fingers around the jewel, for it seemed Thorin had lost the ability to function beyond simply staring at her – the jewel's light seemed to flicker and grow dimmer once leaving her hands, but it was probably only a trick of the dim light. "Take it. It's yours."

' _It's yours_ ' seemed to stir something deep within Thorin for his eyes flickered from her smiling face to look down at the stone she had presented him, at where it lay glowing in his hands.

He stared at it for an incredibly long moment, before once more dragging his eyes from it, a strange look of confliction in his eyes.

She cocked her head to one side, feeling a sudden swell of worry swirl around her gut. But before she could ask him if he was alright he was suddenly grabbing her around the waist and kissing her soundly on the lips. All Bilbo could do in response was let out a surprised little squeak before melting into his arms. The Arkenstone did press rather uncomfortably into her back though.

She heard a few amused sniggered from around them when Thorin finally drew away so that they might both catch their breath.

"Shut it." Thorin grunted, though there was no real heat to his command and the sniggers only grew as well as the wide knowing grins and soft calls amongst them for so and so to cough up – this was quickly stopped when the dwarves remembered that they didn't actually have any money to pay or receive their bets.

Rolling her eyes to cover up her embarrassment, Bilbo stepped away from Thorin and righted the cup and started scoping up the gold and jewels that had fallen from it when she had dropped it when the dwarves had tackled her.

"I took what I thought would get us comfortably to the Iron Hills." Bilbo said as she held out the cup of gold and jewels for Gloin to take, Thorin's arm flung comfortably over her shoulders.

"Aye," The red beard dwarf nodded, his expression thoughtful, "this should do. Even if the humans decide to charge us double."

"That was what I was thinking." Bilbo agreed and she received a proud look from Gloin.

"Eh, you're learning lassie." She received several pats on the back.

"So…" Kili said softly, "What now?"

"Now," Thorin said as he started guiding his company up the turnel and back towards the secret entrance, holding his hobbit close to his side, "now we start the true fight to reclaim our home."

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 **3/06/2018 Author's Notes:** And so it begins.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

It was quite a strange feeling to be walking _away_ from the Lonely Mountain after so much time had been spent trying to get to it. But that was exactly what they were doing.

 _We'll be coming back though_ , Bilbo reminded herself firmly as she looked sadly over her shoulder at the mountain they were leaving behind before turning her attention back to the ruins of Dale.

All around her, she could hear the excited chatter of the dwarves.

She rolled her eyes fondly as she listened to them describe what they were going to do with their share of the gold, as if it were already won and a ginormous fire-breathing furnace, with wings, wasn't still slumbering away within the mountain, not yet dealt with.

"What about you Bilbo?" Kili called back to her, his young face bright with enthusiasm.

"What about me, what?" Bilbo asked, hands shoved deep into the pockets of the oversized coat she wore, a futile attempt to keep warm as the frosty air snipped relentlessly against her extremities. Any colder and her teeth would certainly start chattering.

"What are you going to do with your share of the gold?" Kili replied looking at her in exasperation.

Bilbo shrugged.

"I don't know. I haven't truly thought about it." She replied honestly. And she hadn't. In fact she had quite forgotten that she was entitled to a fourteenth share of the treasure within the mountain. Which considering just how much treasure there was in the mountain behind them, her fourteenth share could possible buy her the whole Shire… several times over. But truly, who needed that much treasure in the first place?

"Ya aven't thought about it?" Several dwarves were gaping at her in disbelief causing Bilbo to blush rather hotly, despite her rather frozen nose.

"Well, no, I mean…" She struggled to find the words to explain that she really didn't need nor did she truly want any of the treasure within the belly of Erebor. She had after all, before venturing on this mad quest, lived on quite a comfortable heritance from her mother, not to mention the lands she own through her father's side.

Money had never really been a problem for her. In fact, it could almost be said that she had too much money to her name. Certainly more than she knew what to do with which was why she had done such radical (in the minds of other well-do hobbits) things including putting funding into school houses for hobbit children of poorer families in the Shire so that they might learn to read and write. She had been called mad for the idea, with others saying her money had gone to her head and she was sticky her nose where it wasn't wanted. But Bilbo had always believed that being able to read and write was an invaluable skill for one to possess and she didn't see why a child whose family wasn't as well off as another hobbit family should have to miss out on receiving a proper schooling simply because they didn't have money or connections. It was a ridiculous notion and if she could do anything in her life, she would very much like to change that way of thinking.

"Well?"

"I don't know." She shook her head, "I honestly haven't thought about it. Too preoccupied by the dragon to think much about the treasure. But I suppose…" She looked rather wistfully at Dale, at the ruins of a once great human kingdom.

"I guess I would like to help them rebuild. The humans, I mean. I imagine rebuilding whole cities takes quite a lot of gold and I think I would like to help them, if they will let me."

The looks she received were ones that were clearly questioning her sanity but Bilbo simply shrugged them off, she was more than used to having others thinking she was quite odd.

"That or buy myself my own private library that possess a copy of every manuscript that has ever been written within Middle-Earth." And she was certain she could still do just that, even if she did given a good chunk of her share to help rebuild Dale.

She received noises of approval for this suggestion and though she found herself rather warming to the idea of owning her very own library, she couldn't help but look at Dale and long to see it be returned to its form glory. But maybe that too, was sticky her nose too far where it wasn't wanted.

As they continued to make their way back to Lake-Town, the nerves in Bilbo's guts only grew the closer they got to the lake.

It was stupid to feel nervous about returning to the town, but given the grim looks worn by not just Thorin but by several of the older dwarves too, she knew that she wasn't the only one worried about the reception they would receive upon returning to Lake-Town seemingly empty handed.

"Keep the cup and gold hidden." Thorin said as they came to stand by the boats they had traversed the lake only days before. "Don't let anyone know how much gold we have on our person. And if anyone askes, we did not find a way into the mountain."

"Do you really think they would try to enter the mountain themselves?" Bilbo asked as she scowled distastefully at the boats. "The dragon is still there, even if he is still asleep, they must know it's suicidal."

"Didna stop us." Bofur gave a laugh that possessed very little actual humour within it.

"That's different." Bilbo replied as she poked the boat distrustfully with her toe, "the mountain is your home, you have reasons for wanting to get in, the humans…"

"Have reasons too." Thorin replied tersely as he came to stand beside her, "Gold."

"They can't just go in and take what they want." Bilbo protested as Thorin helped her up and into the boat. She immediately grabbed onto the side of it for dear life, her stomach already churning away. "They have no right to any of the gold inside the mountain. Except for the gold that was promised to help restore Lake-Town to its former glory… but even then, that gold…"

"They will not see it that way." Thorin retorted his face filled with old bitterness, "They will try to take what is not theirs, and then some. There is little honour to be found within men."

"But Smaug…"

"They will think they can out-match the beast and will most likely bring destruction upon themselves and their town." Thorin replied and Bilbo winced at the almost clinical way he spoke of hundreds of lives being destroy by the actions of a few.

 _And how easily_ , she thought with a queasy stomach as the boats pushed off from the shore and start making for Lake-Town, _we could have been those few_.

She prayed that the inhabitants of Lake-Town would be smart and not try to do anything stupid like entering the mountain on their own and waking the beast.

She had been lucky and maybe her small and light movements had been enough not to wake the beast, but a human, a group of them creeping around the beast bedroom… her stomach rolled with fear.

She buried her head upon her crossed arms that were rested on the edge of the boat and tried not to think about anything other than keeping her breathing even. Someone, she thinks Bifur, rubbed her back in what she was sure was meant to be a soothing manner only for it to be a tad too hard and only made her feel worse.

Their reception upon their return was almost exactly as what Bilbo had feared. Most of the humans looked upon them with grim disappointment before returning to their business with an almost dismissive air about them.

She pressed her hand into Thorin's, for she could see the weight of their disappointment weigh heavily upon his shoulders, offering what little comfort she could.

She did not know what he was going through, – Of course she didn't, how could she, being not even half a century old? There were very few in Middle-Earth who could claim to possess a history as tragic as Thorin's – but she could at least show him that she was there, by his side, as were the rest of the company.

That little she could give him, her undying support and faith.

 _And love too_ , she thought very quietly to herself, _if he will have it_.

He glanced at her briefly with an almost unreadable look in his eyes and though he said not a word and his expression gave away nothing of what he was feeling inside, he kept a firm hold upon her hand, not releasing it even when they were standing in the Master of Lake-Town's study, keeping her by his side as the Master sneered and jeered down at them for failing in their promise, asking them why should he help them further when they have returned with nothing?

Thorin spoke calmly in return, explaining that they now will be travelling to the Iron Hills to raise an army to bring back to defeat the dragon. He was quickly and quite rudely interrupted by both the master and his vile assistant sniggering at him, callously reminding them all that the dwarves had not been able to defeat the dragon with the army of Erebor behind them, so what hope did they believe they had with an even smaller one from the Iron Hills? None!

The Master and his vile little man servant broke into hopeless peals of laughter than, cackling and sneering further comments that made Bilbo's blood boil and filled her with a strong desire to break something.

She opened her mouth to say… anything, anything to make these vile, worthless men shut their foul, ignorant mouths but was stopped by a gentle squeeze of her hand by Thorin, who coolly thanked the Master for his hospitably – they would be requiring one more night's stay in his town, before they took their leave – before he bowed stiffly and motion that it was time for his dwarves to take their leave of the horrid man's house.

They left with the Master's laughter ringing behind their backs.

"That foul," Bilbo hissed furiously once they were out in the streets of Lake-Town once more, "loathsome, cockroach of a man! How-how…"

"It is not surprising." Thorin replied his eyes distant. "We knew upon first meeting him he would be of little help to us."

"And possibly dangerous." Balin sighed, rubbing his beard, his wise eyes glancing around, his head tilting just so in one direction where a group of human guards were watching them closely.

"Do you think he will try to stop us from leaving?" Bilbo asked unable to keep the tired exasperation from her voice.

Would this be the fourth or fifth time another race had tried to keep them moving onwards in their quest?

"Possibly." Balin replied heavily.

"What good would that do them?" Kili asked sullenly.

"Nothing," Bilbo replied with a grumble, "except to boast their male pride by picking on a perceived weaker species."

She received many a shocked look.

"Eh, our burglars been around us down-trodden folk for too long." Nori snorted, with a fond but sad look in her direction, "She's becoming as cynical of the world as the rest of us."

Bilbo blushed hung her head in shame.

"Sorry."

"Don't worry yourself, lass. You have a practical head, you see the workings of the world." Dwalin rumpled as he ruffled her curls.

"I don't like how the world works outside of the Shire." Bilbo huffed softly and as usual, whenever she starting thinking of home, she felt the immediate ache of homesickness build in her chest.

"What should we do now?" Fili asked after a long and uncomfortable silence fell upon the company. "Gandalf has still not returned and we have yet to find the means for supplies that we need to travel to the Iron Hills as the Master has refused to offer us any further assistance."

Fili looked thoughtful for a long moment before he looked back at Bilbo who was looking morosely around the ramshackle floating streets.

"Bilbo," She was pulled from her thoughts to look at Fili who was wearing an uneasy though also hopeful expression on his youthful face.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think you could speak with your friend, the bowman?"

"Bard?"

The golden haired boy nodded.

"I… well, actually I was planning to anyway," When she received puzzled looks she continued on, "because of what I saw… the mark left by the black arrow. I think if worse comes to worse and Smaug does awaken, he will come here and they will need to be prepared and I think Bard would be the best person to help rally the people and keep them safe. He might even be able to kill Smaug, given his skills with a bow."

Her words were met with grumbles but no one fought her on her plan.

"You want me to try and see if he might help us get supplies and ponies?" She guessed and the golden boy was quick to nod.

"Well, if I do," She warned them all firmly, "you can't go throwing back in his face whatever he manages to get for us. Not like you did with the weapons." She shot the dwarves a heated look that had them looking somewhat shame-faced.

"That, ah, may not have been our finest moment," Gloin admitted, toeing the ground with his boot.

 _You think?_ Bilbo restrain herself from saying that out loud.

"Alright," she nodded, "I will see what I can do. I guess the rest of you should see about where we might be able to spend the night."

"Alone?" She was met with shouts of protest that had her glancing nervously over her shoulder back at the still present guards. One even sneered back at her. How rude!

"Yes, alone." She fought back a slightly hysterical giggle, "after going into the bedchamber of dragon, I'm not so scared to travel by myself around a human town. I will be fine."

"Fili, Kili." Thorin barked, not taking his eyes off of her, "go with her and keep her safe." The boys immediately jumped to her side while Bilbo glared back up at Thorin.

"I'm fine to go by myself!" She protested in annoyance. "Bard is a friend." Kind of, at least she liked to think he was. And if he wasn't, she was certain she was friends with his children.

"But the rest of the humans in this town are not." Again she opened her mouth to protest but Thorin waved her way, his tone turning gentle, "it is not that I don't believe you are capable, but rather I do not trust those who live within this town. There is more than one kind of monster in the world."

"You think they will try to kill me?" She asked more flabbergasted than anything else.

"Or other vile things." Thorin replied his tone heavy with disgust. "There is safety in numbers." He continued, "And I would have you safe."

"Fine," she huffed, "but know I am only agreeing to this because I am accepting that you do know more of the world than I do and I trust your judgement even if I do think you are being paranoid and over-protective."

"Understood." Thorin nodded reaching out and lightly grazed her cheek with his finger, "Go now, while there is still light. Bofur and Nori will come and find you when we have found an inn to stay in. Keep your weapons at the ready, always."

Bilbo simply huffed again while the rest of the company agreed swiftly with their king.

And then they parted ways, Bilbo walking with the two boys in the direction they knew Bard's house to be in.

The greeting they received from Bard's three children more than made up for their frosty reception with the townsfolk. The children excitedly pulling them into the house, all the while demanding answers to their questions about dragons and long-lost treasure.

"I'm guessing that as you are all still alive, you did not find a way into the mountain?" Their father's grim tone spoke over the excited rambling of his children, who immediately fell silent and stepped back while Bard moved forward, arms crossed firmly against his chest.

"Actually…" Bilbo started before she was promptly elbowed in the ribs to be quiet by Kili.

"Ouch!" She was quick to pinch his rounded ear in response, like he was a naughty schoolboy pulling the braids of little lasses. The boy winced but kept his lips firmly pressed together, determined not to make a sound.

From the other side of the room, the human children giggled.

"We mean not to be a bother sir," Fili said stepping forward while Bilbo disciplined Kili for his rude behaviour, "but we were hoping you may be able to help us once more."

Bard gave them a hard look.

"And you were so incredibly grateful for the help I gave you before." He replied with a highly sarcastic tone.

"Ah, yes," Bilbo looked up at him with apologetic expression, "I am truly sorry about that."

"I'm guessing that's why they have sent you and not simply come themselves." Bard retorted, gesturing for the three of them to take a seat at his table.

"Something like that." Bilbo agreed, "Also," She added with a quiet tone, shooting both boys a warning look which they returned with equally worried.

"Uncle said…" Kili started quickly, but Bilbo waved him off.

"I know what your uncle has said, but precautions need to be taken and I would feel a lot better if I knew that this town was prepared."

"Prepared for what?" Bard asked a panicked note entering his otherwise neutral tone.

Bilbo looked up at him biting down upon her lower lip.

"For the dragon."

"You WOKE IT?!" Bard jumped to his feet, panicked etched across his handsome though weather-beaten face. His gaze turned frantically towards his children who looked back at him with scared expressions.

"NO!" She had to yell to be heard over the voices of the frantic humans. "I did not wake Smaug. He slumbers on." Her words were met with a very doubtful expression from Bard

"If we woke the dragon," Fili spoke once again, "do you truly think we would be so calm? He sleeps on, for now at least. But that is not the news Bilbo wishes to share with you." Fili turned back to Bilbo who took a deep breath before speaking.

"I saw Smaug." She started slowly, waiting a moment for Bard to swallow and nod for her to continue. "He was in a deep slumber, almost like hibernation. I do not know if he sensed my presence," a swirl of panic brewed in her belly at the thought, "or if he was simply shifting in his sleep, but I saw something, something that I think only you will believe me when I say it exists."

"What did you see?" Bard asked, his long forearms resting upon his table, his hands clenched into fist.

"The mark of the Black Arrow. Under the left wing, right over Smaug's heart. The arrow hit Bard, your ancestor's aim was true."

There a whoop of joy from Bain while Bard wiped his hand against his mouth.

"Are you certain? It might have been a trick of the light or…" but Bilbo shook her head.

"No, I am certain. I saw the mark, it really is there and I think… I hope, that with one very good shot…"

"The beast will die." Bard finished with a nod before rising from his table to pace.

"But that would mean him leaving his… the mountain." Bard corrected himself when he saw the scowls the two young dwarves were sending his way. "And there is no guarantee that I could even get a shot…"

"I know," Bilbo replied softly. "I just felt that you should know… to be prepared for if the worst should happen."

"For if your dwarves can not kill it and the beast awakens and decides to taken its vengeance out upon all of us." Bard mutter bitterly.

"It is their home." Bilbo answered softly, for she knew how hopeless their quest must seem to an outsider, for there were still times when she too experienced doubt about their quest, but she knew her dwarves. She knew how determined they were to reclaim their home, to return their mountain back to their people. They would fight for their home until they all drew their last breath, there was simply no stopping them.

"Their home that was stolen from them, along with so many lives, families and friends. They have to try. And if they do not, Smaug will awaken at some point anyway and he may rain fire upon Lake-Town, purely because he can."

Bard gripped the edge of his table tightly, his head hung low.

"Alright." He spoke softly, "I will help you. To protect my town, for as you say, Smaug will waken from his slumber and he will come. And if he must, it may as well be on the terms that we know of." He paused, sighing heavily though his nose as he stared at them, "what do you need?"

"Supplies, food mostly, and ponies." Bilbo replied quickly as she pulled some gold from her pocket and held it out to Bard who looked at the gold with an almost exasperated air about him.

"You did not have this gold when you were here last." He commented dryly as he took the coins she offer from her. "You are aware of how unwise it is to steal from a dragon, aye?"

"Indeed I do, but is it really stealing when you are simply taking back what has already been stolen?" Bilbo replied with a far bolder smile than what she felt inside.

"The dragon, I doubt, will agree with you."

"Probably not," She agreed as her mind turned back to her deal, the one she had made in Smaug's bedroom as she took the gold, the deal that was for any harm that might come from her taking the gold, would fall back onto her and only her. The deal had been struck, she was certain, so hopefully that meant the town would not be harmed on her account. Or harmed at all.

"Is that enough to help us?"

Bard looked up from counting the coins and for a brief worrying moment she saw darkness flash across Bard's brown eyes, a greed for more and more, before it passed, just a quickly before disappearing entirely.

"Yes," he replied looking a little shaken by what he himself must have felt pass through him, "this is fine. More than." He gave them an almost teasing look, "would you like to take the weapons this time round?"

Fili and Kili simply grumbled while Bilbo let out a small laugh.

"If they are still up for offer than yes, we will. Whatever you can spare, we will take, thanking you kindly."

 **888**

Bilbo woke with a start in the middle of the night.

She was not entirely sure what had woken her, only being aware of the fact that when she had gone to bed earlier that night she had been toasty warm and now, waking as she had hours before dawn, she was rather cold.

She blinked in confusion in the darkness.

After leaving Bard's home with the promise of suppliers being ready for them in the morning, she and the Durin boys set off in search for the rest of the company. They found them easily enough, for as promised, Bofur and Nori had been looking for them and having once found them, were quick to take them to the Inn that they were to be spending the night.

It was not as nice as the house they had been set-up in during their first visit to Lake-Town but it was not awful either. The food was quite good, even if Bilbo was quite over fish and other long-life preserved food.

What she wouldn't give for something fresh, an apple or berries. Or tomatoes… oh, for some roasted tomatoes! And mushrooms, oh how she dearly wished for mushrooms!

She had barely finished her food before a wave of almost overwhelming tiredness washed over her. She hadn't slept well in days and obviously her countless hours of lying awake fretting over entering the mountain to steal Thorin's Arkenstone had finally caught up to her.

She had fought, albeit weakly, against the gentle hands that pulled her carefully from the human size bench and steered her up to the room that was to be her own. She had been left then, to change and get herself ready for bed. Which she had collapsed onto the moment she had pulled on clothes that she deemed comfortable enough to sleep in.

She only vaguely remembered a knock on her door, her barely coherent call for whoever it was to come in. She had been quietly chided for doing just that, for it could have been anyone asking to enter and she needed to be more careful.

She made the appropriate noises whenever he stopped for breath as she snuggled further into the bedding, only moving to allow him to get into the bed with her.

"You were so incredibly brave." He had whispered into her hair when he wrapped his arms around her and she snuggled in close, "so brave. Utterly incredible."

"I'm just glad I found your rock." She mumbled sleepily into his chest and he let out a muffled snort.

"As am I. Sleep now." He kissed her temple.

"Was going to do that anyway," she yawned, "but thanks for giving your permission. I would have slept terribly without it."

He let out a small huffing laugh and said something else that her tired brain simply could not comprehend and instead she merely allowed herself to be wrapped up in his warmth, lulled into a peaceful sleep by the hum of his heart beat.

But now that she was awake she found she had lost his warmth and the soothing hum of his heart and she immediately sat up and looked around her frantically.

"Thorin?" she called softly, feeling silly for being panicked over his disappearance from her bed but at the same time…

"Here." His voice sounded… odd, almost strangle. "I am here."

She was immediately fully alert and worried at his tone.

She all but fell out of the bed in her haste to get to Thorin's side.

"What is it?" She wheezed as she rushed to his side, where he stood leaning against the window of the room. "Are you alright?" She lay a hand lightly upon his arm.

"I'm…" He started slowly, his tone still strangled as he dragged his eyes away from Arkenstone that rested in the palm of his hands to look down at her. She was taken aback and frighten by just how haunted his expression was. "I am afraid."

"Afraid?" Bilbo asked stunned. She was certain that this was the first time she had ever heard Thorin admit to being afraid. But of what? Yes, they still had a very dangerous task ahead of them but it was no more dangerous than it had been when they start it all those months ago, so what…

She looked up at his face, at his haunted expression and the way he clutched the glowing jewel in his hands as if he feared at any moment it might be snatched from him. It was not an unreasonable fear, but for how long had he stood there, staring at the jewel?

"Is it the gold sickness?" She asked softly, a terrible sense of dread filling her from the tip of her furry toes to the depths of her heart.

Thorin gave a jerky sort of nod.

"But-but…" Bilbo dragged a hand through her sleep tousled hair. No… no, no, no! How? Why? He even hadn't been inside his mountain for all that long! And he certainly hadn't seen the piles upon piles, mountains of gold inside of Smaug's bedroom! So how, how could the sickness be…

"Alright then," She took a deep breath to steady her panicking heart and forced herself to think logically, "when did you start feeling…"

"When we first entered the mountain, before you went down into the beast lair, I felt…" He carefully cupped the Arkenstone into one hand so that he rub the other against his face.

"It is a feeling that has been growing for a while," He finally admitted with a defeated, pain filled look, "at the back of my mind, gnawing away, but I have been able to ignore it but…"

"Now you can't?"

"It is… loud. So very loud now. I can barely hear myself think, my thoughts are consumed by gold and jewels… jealousy and hate. And a need for vengeance against all who have wrong me and my kin."

She leant her head against his shoulder, feeling his body shake with pain and self-loathing.

"What can I do?" She whispered, "What can I do to help?"

 _Because_ , a nasty almost Lobelia like voice hissed, _you were so helpful when your father fell prey to his mind-sickness. Do you truly believe you can help Thorin? You know nothing, you are useless and worthless…_

She shoved the thoughts from her mind and simply stared up into Thorin's incredibly blue eyes.

"You are not…" He started in quiet voice, his eyes filled with an old pain, "disappointed?"

"Disappointed?" Bilbo questioned him, her body jerking with surprise. "Why on earth would I be?"

"Because I am weak!" He spat, his hands clenching into fist, his face filled with torment, "weak and cursed! I am unfit to lead! Unfit for your lo…"

"Thorin!" Bilbo caught his angry face in between her hands, pulling him down so that he was eye level with her and could not possibly look at anything else but her!

"You are none of those things! None, you hear! You are not weak, nor are you unfit to rule Erebor, as is your birth-right! Cursed you may be, but curses can be broken. My father," She forced herself to smile as she ran a hand down his cheek, "my father was lost to his mind-sickness for _years_ but Gandalf, Gandalf was able to free him from its foul grasp!"

"I do not wish to rely on a wizard who keeps disappearing every time he might be useful." Thorin snapped furiously.

Bilbo jerked a little, frowning up at Thorin with great displeasure as it had been a very long time indeed since he had spoken to her in such a manner.

She moved her hands from his face and pressed them instead against her hips as she scowled up at him.

"Don't you go using that tone with me!" She snapped just as hotly back at him and watched him immediately become shame-faced.

"Not when I'm trying to help you!" She continued just as firmly. "And Gandalf is only one option we can try, but there must be others! We might just need to do some research that's all. And do not be so quick to give up on yourself. I do not believe you are so far gone as you seem to believe yourself to be."

"You do not?" Thorin stared down at her with his customary scowl that now only irritated her further instead of frightening her as it once did.

"NO! If you were as far gone as you seem to believe, I think you would not be so… _you_!" She waved an irritated hand at him which only caused his frown to deepen.

"And at the moment," She grouched, as she pouted up at his scowling face, "you are being very _you_!" she poked a finger into his chest to emphasis her point.

There was a long pause as they glared at each other before Thorin let out a small sigh, rubbing his face once more.

"I am sorry."

"Good." She replied a little tartly, "As you should be." She stepped forward again, resting her head once more upon his shoulder.

"We'll get through this," she added in a softer tone. "Just tell me how I can help?"

"Stay by my side," Thorin replied as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head, "Keep me in my place and…" he seemed to struggle for a moment before Bilbo found the Arkenstone being held up to her nose.

She blinked several times as she stared at it in a cross-eyed fashion.

"Keep this with you." Thorin said gruffly as she hesitantly took the jewel from him.

"But… Thorin..."

"I cannot keep it." Thorin shook his head as he closed her fingers around the glowing jewel that seemed to sparkle brightly in the palm of her hand, "I do not feel it would be wise to have the jewel in my possession."

"But… why me? Fili would be better suited…" she trailed off when a possessive, dark look entered Thorin's face. It was gone just as quickly as it had appeared and his face immediately became crestfallen.

"I will keep it safe." She promised earnestly, "just until the time comes that we have tackled the gold sickness. Until then, I'll just have it for safe-keeping."

"I know." Thorin said softly, touching her face before pulling her into his chest. "I know."

"I am so sorry Thorin." She whispered against his chest and felt him shudder in response.

They would beat this! They would! They had to!

* * *

 **9/06/2018 Author's Note:** The plan was, originally, to make Sunday my 'Posting' day, but it is such a wet and miserable Saturday, that I thought 'eh, why not'. Maybe I'll just make 'Weekend' my posting day/s, and post on either Saturday or Sunday, depending on my mood.

If you would like me to post twice a week (and I've already decided that Wednesday is to be my second 'Posting' day if I do decide to go with posting twice a week), please let me know.

Hope you all enjoyed chapter two. Comments, reviews and creative criticism is all welcome and appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Neither of them slept particularly well for the rest of the night, curled up in each other's arms, lost in their own thoughts.

Bilbo woke in the morning, grouchy and with a headache and Thorin was almost deathly quiet, obviously lost in his own thoughts. Bilbo was not entirely certain if that was wise, to leave Thorin to his own thoughts, but every attempt to draw him out of them was simply met with a grunt and a very Thorin-like scowl.

Finally Bilbo grew to be fed-up with his stone-y silence and given he was showing a side of his personality that she was at least familiar with, though not overly fond of, she decided to leave him in the room while she hunted for some breakfast

The breakfast she was able to find was a meagre one at best and she found herself once more wistfully thinking of tomatoes. Cooked or picked fresh from the vine, she didn't care, she simply wanted them.

She tried to imagine the porridge she was eating was a plate of eggs, bacon and roasted tomatoes… and had some success. Hobbits could have very powerful imaginations when it came to food.

She was joined shortly by the rest of the company, including Thorin, who was just as distant with the rest of the company as he had been with her, which caused several of the dwarves, those who knew Thorin well to looked worriedly at each other before looking at her, some even reproachful.

She scowled right back at them.

How dare they blame her for Thorin's mood, but… she looked worriedly over to where Thorin was pacing impatiently by the front door of the Inn.

"Did ya and Thorin 'ave a fight?" Bofur asked lightly bumping his shoulder against her, his tone teasing but his eyes were filled with concern. Concern for her.

"No… not quite. Thorin's…" She chewed on her words, not sure how much she should say when Thorin refused to speak at all about what he was currently fearing he was suffering from, "I think he is just anxious to get a move on. To be so close to reclaiming the mountain, but still so far… must be playing with his head something awful."

"Aye, that might be true and all, but don't ya let 'im be mean to ya, hmm?" Bofur told her firmly, a stern gaze set upon Thorin's pacing form.

Bilbo smiled softly in return.

"I won't, I promise."

"If he needs a sound thumping for being stupid, ya let us know, ya hear?" She pressed a hand to her mouth when all three Broadbeams nodded in agreement to Bofur's words.

"I shall keep that in mind."

"Good girl." Bofur said his face fond as he lightly tweaked her nose.

Bilbo felt an ache inside her chest when he turned away to his own breakfast, an ache that spoke of what could have been, of how easy it would be if she loved Bofur instead of Thorin, but… she looked back over at her majestic idiot, still pacing and looking irritable, his kingly jewel sitting heavily inside her coat pocket.

It felt even heavier than before, for now she had some idea of just how dangerous it might be for Thorin's mental health.

 _He is strong_ , she told herself firmly. And the fact that he himself had picked up the gold sickness was affecting him must be a good sign, yes? _That must mean we have more time to find ways to counteract the effects of the sickness_.

Or was that simply wishful thinking on her part?

Her only experience with mind-sickness was that of her father, and he had fallen sick with his illness in a matter of days, suddenly and without much warning.

The same… the same would not happen to Thorin, would it? Not with him recognising the signs and already fighting against the sickness.

He had given her the Arkenstone for safe-keeping! That must mean something?! If he was truly in the throes of the gold sickness, he would not have been able to do that right? So… they still had a chance, not all hope was lost.

She swallowed down the last of her breakfast, sliding cautiously off of the bench with another bowl of porridge and spoon and walked over to the pacing dwarf.

"Thorin."

He stopped pacing, his eyes which had been glaring at the invisible path he had been treading upon the Inn's floor, turn upwards to stare at her.

She held out the bowl and spoon for him.

"I'm not," he started but Bilbo refused to let him finish as she shoved the bowl and spoon into his hands.

"Don't care. Eat. We have quite a distance to travel to get to the Iron Hills and you didn't sleep well last night. Eat and keep your strength." And with that, she marched back to the table where the dwarves simply stared at her in disbelief.

She ignored them all as she plunked up a very weather-beaten apple from the basket at the edge of the table before returning to her room, to check her pack was definitely packed and ready to go, as well as doing a small task before they left for the next part of their journey.

She was almost done with said task that she had set herself when there was an almost tentative knock on her door.

"Come in." She called as she pulled the needle and thread through her coat.

Thorin slunk into the room, looking as nervous as she had ever seen him.

 _What on earth has he done now?_ She wondered before turning her attention back to her work.

"What are you doing?" Thorin asked after a short but heavy silence.

"Sewing a secret pocket into my coat." She replied without looking up from said secret pocket.

Another pause, though this time it was not quite so heavy.

"May I ask why?"

"It's for the Arkenstone." She looked up at him, her face serious, "I want to keep it safe and close, and the best way to do that, I feel quite personally, is for my coat to have a pocket that only I know of and is also not easily accessible for a common _or_ talented thief."

Thorin blinked at her several times before giving his head a tiny shake.

"You have thought about this."

"Only for most of last night." She replied turning back to her work.

"I-I apologize." Thorin said as he came to stand by the bed that she was sitting upon as she worked.

She lifted her head, which was for once level with his face because of the height of the human bed, and smiled, leaning forward and laying a gentle kiss upon his bearded cheek.

"It is fine." She reassured him, "and if this can give you some peace of mind, then lack of sleep is more than worth it."

"I feel you have lost far too much sleep over me." Thorin sighed leaning heavily against the bed, his eye dark with emotions.

"Hmm, yes, I have, but," Her cheeks warmed slightly as she spoke, "some of the sleep that I have lost because of you has been for quite enjoyable reasons." She teased feeling quite bold and desperate to make him maybe, possibly, smile? Or blush. She would happily go for either. Or both.

She was delighted when his cheeks, which had been bleached of colour all morning, turned a lovely shade of pink – as did his ears – and a tiny, smug smile crossed his lips.

"Is that so?" He asked his eyes still dark but for an entirely different reason now.

"Indeed," Her blush only continued to grow as Thorin's eyes seemed to darken even further.

Her eyes fluttered shut as Thorin pressed a warm and passionate kiss against her mouth.

"Thorin," she moaned against his lips, her hands still buried in her needle work, "I need to finish this. We will be leaving soon, will we not?"

Thorin pulled away with a heavy, regretful sigh, though not before pressing a fond kiss to the tip of her button nose.

"Aye, we will. I would have us arriving at the Iron Hills within three days if we can."

"Well then," She gestured to her coat and Thorin nodded.

A calmness appeared to have descended upon him that she hadn't seen in quite some time. He seemed almost relaxed as he watched her finish sewing her invisible pocket into the inside of her coat and though for a moment, his eyes turned dark and possessive when she had the Arkenstone out, once the jewel was safely stowed away in the pocket and she had pulled the coat around her small frame, he turned back into his normal grumpy self.

"Are you ready?" he asked, as he held out her pack for her to slip onto her back.

"I believe so." She adjusted the pack so that sat more comfortably upon her back.

"Good," He touched her cheek, "Let us be on our way."

She followed after him as he left the room.

 **888**

True to his promise, Bard had done well in acquiring the supplies Bilbo had requested in such a short span of time. And her dwarves in turn, were true to their word of not moaning and complaining over the quality of some of the supplies Bard had been able to gather for them.

She smiled proudly when several of her dwarves even thanked Bard for his assistances.

Bard had blinked at them in surprise before giving them a small, but genuine smile as he start handing out the reigns of eight scrawny and slightly moth-eaten ponies.

"Sorry," his apology was an honest and true one, "we don't have much use for ponies out here on the lake."

"We appreciate that you were able to supply us with as much as you have." Thorin replied rather diplomatically given the rather foul mood he had been in for most of the morning.

Bard nodded, clearing trying to hide his surprise over Thorin being civil towards him. Their rocky first meeting had not improved at all during the company's first stay in Lake-Town, but Bilbo rather hoped once all was said and done, the two might at least be able to have a civil conversation together, if not become friends.

She knew she might be holding her breath for a very long time over the chance of them becoming friends, but miracles were possible… just look at her and Thorin. Only a few short months ago she would have politely questioned the sanity of anyone who might have suggested that Thorin would feel anything other than animosity towards her, and yet… here they were.

She didn't know quite what to label their relationship though, as she did not want to presume too much and she truly didn't know how long whatever it was that they currently shared between them would last. And when whatever it was did finally come to its inevitable conclusion, she hoped that they would remain friends. Because as much as she would hate to lose his closeness in her bed (he did make for an excellent bed-warmer), she would be sadder if she lost his friendship altogether.

She shook herself, forcibly dismissing the melancholy that had befallen her and stepped forward towards Bard while the dwarves organised what little possessions they still had and the suppliers that Bard had been able to round up for them on such short noticed upon the eight ponies.

"Mistress Baggins." Bard greeted her politely when he noticed her hovering near him and his children.

"Bard." She smiled at him and his three children. His youngest girl actually looked close to tears which moved Bilbo deeply. She had always had a soft spot for children, even children who stood a good head taller than her.

"Stay safe." The words burst from her lips before she could stop them. And once they are out in the open, she can feel her anxiety rising once again. "Please."

"We will do our best." Bard replied grimly, his eyes moving to his three children who are trying to look brave despite the deathly pallor of their skin.

"We'll be returning soon." Bilbo promised quickly, "with an army of dwarves and more Black Arrows for the Wind Lance. Maybe we can bring more of those too, portable ones, if such things exist." She was rambling now, a true character flaw of hers that occurred whenever her anxiety was simply too much for her to bear.

And Bard's continual silence was certainly not helping matters either. But finally he nodded, his eyes drifting up to look at a flock of Thrush flying overhead, chirping away to each. _Gossiping probably_ , Bilbo thinks.

"If the worst should happen," Bard finally speaks, "I will send a thrush to the Iron Hills. They are friends of mine." He admitted with a slight hint of embarrassment though Bilbo didn't quite understand why, "They listen to me and I to them. If I should ask them to send a message to you, they will."

"Would you be able to send a message if a wizard should pass by?" Bilbo asked hopefully, "and tell him where we went?"

"Aye," the man said slowly, "I think I should be able to that. What does he look like? Your wizard." Bilbo was quick to describe Gandalf; long grey beard, pointy hat, a formidable temper if you should anger him.

Bard looked mildly amused, his eyes glancing to where her dwarves were still fussing with their gear and the ponies.

"Is that why he is not here? Too many arguments with stubborn dwarves?"

"Well, um, actually… um."

He waved her off with a small, apologetic laugh.

"If he passes this way, I will tell him where you are and send word ahead by a Thrush to you."

"And if Smaug should waken." Bilbo added, her heart twisting painfully in her chest at the very thought.

Bard stared at her with solemn brown eyes.

"If there is time, aye, I will send a Thrush to let you know."

Bilbo's stomach churned sickly.

"If only you had a Black Arrow." She groaned bury her face into her hands, "it would not be much, but at least it would be something! One hit," She whispered more to herself than to anyone else. "One good hit and I think it would be enough to kill him."

"Do not worry so, Mistress Baggins." Bard said pulling her from her thoughts with his tone be unexpectedly… no, confident wasn't the right word, but… there was a strange look of certainty in his eyes, like he knew something that she did not.

"Do you…" she asked suddenly, a candle lighting inside her brain, "do you…"

He gave her a weak sort of wink before gesturing to her that her friends were waiting for her.

"One shot," Bilbo persisted, "I swear, one good shot and I'm certain the beast will die."

"I can only hope you are right Mistress Baggins." Bard sighed, holding out his hand for her to shake, which she did. The same with his son, who asked that when she returned might she tell more stories to him, his sisters and their friends.

She smiled and promised she would. She received hugs from the two girls, the youngest, Tilda even cried a little when saying goodbye.

From fear of the danger Bilbo and her friends had brought to her town or because she was truly sorry to see Bilbo go, Bilbo wasn't entirely certain and felt it would not be right to ask the little girl when she was already in such distress. She simply hugged the girl all the more tightly and promised to tell many stories upon her return which seemed to cheer the girl up marginally.

Bilbo was not entirely surprised to see she would be riding upon the same pony as Thorin, though it was still a little strange to her how swiftly their relationship had gone from one of hostility (from him. She had simply been terribly confused over how easily she appeared to vex him without her even trying), to one of… genuine affection.

The expression Thorin wore as he helped her up and sit behind him on the pony could only be described as fond and when she wrapped her arms, hesitantly at first, around his waist, he lay one large hand over the top of her smaller ones, squeezing them gently to offer her comfort that her anxiety desperately desired. It had been quite a while since she had last sat upon a pony and she was still not entirely comfortable with being in their presences. Not to mention, her nose was starting to itch from the hair of the pony.

They left Lake-Town by a very long bridge that Bilbo hadn't even been aware existed until then and she grumbled darkly under her breath over why they couldn't have just taken it instead of the boats? Yes, the bridge might not have been exactly a direct route to the mountain, but it still crossed the lake did it not? And she wouldn't have had to spend several awful hours on a bloody boat!

Thorin had softly laughed at her grumbling, squeezing her hands good-naturedly.

It seemed finally being on the move was doing wonders for Thorin's state of mind, helping to keep the darkness that was trying to creep into his mind and heart at bay. And when, by mid-day they were riding with their backs to the Lonely Mountain, he seemed to be almost entirely back to his old self.

He had never been a chirpy, smiling sort of fellow, nor was he one who spoke simply for the sake of speaking, but the further they travelled away from the Lonely Mountain the more Thorin started talking, just about this and that, with the rest of dwarves happily joining in.

He spoke to her of things she had asked of very early on in their quest days. Questions that had been refused to be answered and she had received the cold shoulder for days afterwards, were now mention as easily as the weather.

She didn't know whether to be delighted or slightly irritated over this. In the end, she settled with simply being pleased that her questions were finally being answered, even if it was months after she had originally asked them.

She lay her head against the centre of Thorin's back and closed her eyes, enjoying simply listening to him and the other dwarves talk as they rode.

She knew it was wishful thinking, but she rather hoped that this current mood could remain for a time. It felt rather like the very early days of their quest – with the obvious difference of her actually being included in the dwarves conversations and Gandalf was not among them – when they had yet to face any true dangers and everything was very exciting and new. She wanted her dwarves to be happy and right this very moment, was the happiest she had seen them all in a long, long time.

She only hoped it would remain.

* * *

 **14/06/2018 Author's Note:** I meant to post this last night but I got caught up with things - I'm going to China is little over a week's time and I'm trying to get SIM cards and VPNs organised and really the whole thing is just sending my anxiety into over drive... which is probably why I've been awake since five with a migraine. Thanks Anxiety.

Anyway, from the response of you lovely readers, I am going to try and post at least twice a week from now on, with main posting days being Wednesday and either Saturday or Sunday depending on my mood and what I'm doing on either given day.

Just as a head up, as I mentioned above I am going to China from the 26th of June til the 6th of July. So not very long, but I obviously won't be posting during that time, but I was thinking what I might do is post the chapters that would be posted during that time, on the Sunday before I leave, or something like that. Let me know if you'd like that or if you're happy to wait til I get back.

Thanks for reading and comments/reviews are appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

The company arrived at the main gates of the Iron Hills fortress around mid-day on their third day of travelling from Lake-Town.

Bilbo tried to feel impressed by the sight of the massive gate, to look upon it with the same awe and amazement that she had first felt when she looked upon the front gates of Erebor. Even in ruins as they were, they had given off a sense of importance and had been very impressive.

These gates… the words that came to mind were more along the lines of 'practical' and 'secure'. Which wasn't, of course, bad things in and of themselves it was just, she supposed she had grown used to the idea of elves and dwarves being rather… showy when it came to their cities.

What she was looking at was not in any way showy. What she was looking at was two very large, stone doors – which were closed. And given the scale of the each door, she couldn't help but wonder how exactly they were opened. Could both even be opened? Or just one at a time? And did the Iron Hills dwarves push those massive stone doors open and closed – which if they did, how many dwarves were needed for that task? Or did they have some kind of hydraulics systems? And if so… she wondered if she would be able to convince someone to let her have a look at it.

"Uncle," she vaguely heard Fili call, his tone teasing, "Our burglar has that look about her again."

She felt Thorin twist in the saddle before his face was taking up her entire vision.

"Rude." She grumbled, shifting so that she might continue to frown up at the gate, her mind still trying to figure out how exactly those great doors opened. Maybe magic. She had read that there were some dwaven doors, and not just secret ones hidden away half-way up a mountain, that could only be opened by magic.

"Hydraulics." Thorin said, a smile laced into his voice, "by use of a hydraulic system, is what opens and closes the gates."

"Oh." She felt a tiny surge of disappointment sweep through her before she quickly brushed her regret aside to instead become excited over the possibility of seeing a hydraulics system large enough to open two massive stone doors.

"Do you think I will be able to take a look at it?" She asked Thorin hopefully.

Thorin let out a small bark of laughter.

"If you so wish, I do not see why not."

"Good," She smiled as she settled back onto the pony. And waited.

And waited.

"Do they have a door bell that we need to ring?" She asked to no one in particular, as she searched for said bell or knocking mechanism that might be used to announce their presence.

"Is there a riddle that we must solve before we are allowed entrance?" Bilbo asked after even more time had passed and she grew increasingly impatient and worried the longer they simply continued to stand outside of the gate, not doing or saying anything.

"Shhh," Thorin spoke softly, giving her twitching hands a gently squeeze, "It's alright." Even though his words were meant to reassure her she could still detect the underlying worry in his tone and the way several of the company were bracing themselves, ready for an attack at any moment.

Oh yes, she was most reassured indeed!

She heard movement, to her far right, behind a crop of rocks that stood a little distances from the gate.

Thorin felt her stiffen and after a quick glance over his shoulder at her face to determine where she was looking, he was making subtle motions with his right hand in the direction of the rocks.

It was several more agonising moments of sitting and waiting before several armoured dwarves suddenly appeared from out behind the rocks. And it truly was suddenly, for one moment Bilbo saw only rocks and the next there were at least thirty dwarves carrying weapons stomping towards.

She was actually impressed – and terrified – by how stealthy these dwarves had proven to be. Going off what she had seen from her friends, she would never have believed that dwarves had the capacity to be in any way sneaky.

"Hail Thorin, Son of Thrain, Son of Thror" A clear voice barked from the first dwarf who approached them, "You're a long way from the Blue Mountains."

"But not from home." Thorin replied calmly, though there was a defensiveness to his tone that surprised her.

The dwarf – and Bilbo was guessing he was the captain – peered curiously up at Thorin.

"Indeed." The captain replied in an amused tone. "Heard you were on some mad venture. Everyone had bets you were gonna wind up dead."

Bilbo frowned at the dwarf's tone and his words.

The captain, as if sensing her gaze, glanced her direction and grinned.

"The chatty little mouse didn't like that much."

 _Little mouse?!_ And she thought being called 'little bunny' by Beorn had been embarrassing enough, but being referred to as 'little mouse' was simply downright humiliating! Now she truly disliked the captain.

"Bilbo." Thorin said quietly when she shifted to yell something that would probably be considered unwise in the long-term scheme of things.

She sighed heavily and settled for simply scowling at the captain. Annoyingly the captain seemed to only find this all the more amusing.

Balin, urging the pony he and Dori rode forward, spoke then, in his native tongue and Bilbo felt entirely left out as she had no idea what was being said between Balin and the Captain, with Thorin and Dwalin occasionally throwing in a word – or a grunt – here or there.

Whatever Balin was saying, and he seemed to have to say it a few times before it appeared the guards were actually willing to listen and believe what he was saying, with several of them looking quite excited while others seemed to be shaking their heads in scepticism.

"Not possible." The captain frowned at Balin, "to sneak past and steal from a dragon… and live to tell the tale. No, such a thing cannot be done."

"But it has." Balin replied easily, giving her a proud smile that made her duck her head in embarrassment.

"Bilbo." Thorin said and without having to say more, Bilbo was pulling the Arkenstone from her pocket and handing it to him.

She felt him shudder a little as the stone fell into his hand, but he did not look at it as he raised it over his head for all to see.

The guards mouths seemed to drop as one before promptly closing as they dropped to their knees.

 _How's that for the chatty little mouse?_ Bilbo thought in their direction with a sniff.

There was lot more talk, most of which was in Dwavish, and Bilbo despite her best effort, her interest in their conversation wan until she felt Thorin stiffen with rage (and the rest of her dwarves started to grumble angrily amongst themselves) and when he spoke, he spoke in common.

"No," his tone was firm and on the brink of anger, "She will be accompanying us."

Oh… she sighed heavily, so she was the problem.

She sagged in the saddle, pouting at Thorin's back.

"She is an outsider." The captain retorted sternly.

"She is one of us." Fili snapped angrily, utterly ignoring the looks he was receiving to remain quiet and to let his uncle and Balin deal with the issue. "She is the one who took back the Arkenstone from Smaug! If accomplishing such a feat doesn't make her worthy to enter your fortress then I don't…"

"IT'S _FINE_!" Bilbo yelled, determined to drown out Fili before he said something that they would all regret. "It's fine. I'll stay out here." She looked around the barren landscape of the Iron Hills with a pout.

 _Thought that one threw, didn't you?_ Her Took side grumbled sarcastically, while her Baggins side simply let out a small moan.

"Or I could head back to Lake-Town." She added more to herself than to anyone else.

"No!" was said collectively by the company and Bilbo rolled her eyes.

"Oh, this is ridiculous and getting us nowhere." She muttered, squirming in the saddle. Her bottom was starting to ache something terrible after three days of hard ridding.

Thorin grumbled but ultimately helped her slip from the pony's back, him being quick to follow her, his scowl dark and furious as he glared at the dwarves before them who in turn were looking at Bilbo curiously.

"You are no human." One dwarf guard commented loudly, sounding both surprised and confused as he looked her up and down.

Bilbo huff as she set her hands upon her hips.

"No, I most certainly am not. I am a hobbit."

She was met with confused silence.

"A Halfling." She offered up grudgingly and she heard murmurs amongst the dwarf guards, those who recognised the word whispering to those who did not.

"Makes no difference what you call yourself." The captain replied calmly, "you are still an outsider and we cannot let you pass."

"Then go and grab Dain," Thorin growled by her side, "and bring his arse out here if you won't allow us entrance. We will not be leaving her."

"Thorin." Bilbo sighed, pinching her noses. "It's fine! Don't make a fuss on my account."

Thorin's scowl was now directed at her. She scowled right on back.

"We won't leave you."

"And I appreciate that, truly. But this," She waved at them, the door and the situation they were in, "is getting us nowhere. If it is my presences that is stopping the company from progressing further, then I'm happy to stay here. It's not like I'm going to go anywhere." She tried smiling but the chilly air which she was coming to be more aware of (now that she wasn't curled up against Thorin's back any more) the longer they stood simply bickering was starting to make her teeth chatter with cold.

Thorin did not look convinced in the slightest.

"Oi! We'll stay with the lass." Bofur called, gesturing to himself, his brother and cousin, who both nodded their head vigorously in response.

Bilbo smiled at them thankfully. Maybe she could steal Bofur's hat since she was apparently going to be losing her personal dwarf-size heat pack.

"Same!" Ori and Nori yelled while Dori looked on mildly embarrassed by his brothers loud yelling, but was quietly agreed all the same.

"HEY!" Kili yelled loudest of all, "Don't forget us too!" He pointed to himself and his brother, who was looking a grim as Bilbo had ever seen him, "We'll stay with Bilbo!"

Bilbo groaned.

"Now, that's just getting silly. You'll both be going with your Uncle." Bilbo told both boys firmly.

Kili pouted at her while Fili simply continued to glare at the dwarves.

"All of this is ridiculous." Thorin growled.

Bilbo shrugged, though she too agreed and was actually fighting down a wave of hurt over not being allowed to enter the dwarven fortress purely because she was a member of another race.

"But they are the rules." Bilbo gave him her best 'don't worry about me' smiles that she could muster around her chattering teeth, "Let it be Thorin. Go and speak with Dain. Maybe you can convince him that I'm not a threat to anyone." She bared her teeth into a snarl as if she were some kind of wild animal, maybe a warg before quickly settling for a happy smile when she saw him crack a small grin.

"We'll be back soon." Thorin promised her and those dwarves who would be remaining out in the cold with her.

 _Luckily dwarves are apparently immune to catching colds_ , she thought and found herself almost immediately fighting back the desire to sneeze.

"If anything should happen to any member of my company…" Thorin snarled to the Iron Hill Dwarves, his warning left open for their own interpretation.

Bilbo watched with a small degree of pleasure as several of the Iron Hills dwarves faces became ashen beneath their helmets.

"They will be quite safe." The captain replied steadily even under Thorin's heavy scowl.

Thorin glowered at the captain for a few moments longer before he turned his back completely on the guards and turned to his company.

"Stay safe." He ordered them, his eyes in particular resting upon Bilbo who let out an irritated huff. Had she not proven already that she was more or less capable at looking after herself? Who had saved them from the spiders? Got them out of the elvish dungeons and snuck past Smaug and stole back the Arkenstone?

Thorin smiled at her annoyed grimace, raising a hand to lightly touch her cheek. She felt a majority of her annoyance at him melt away, blast him!

"We will return soon." He added as Balin, Dwalin, Fili, Kil, Gloin and Oin moved (some grumbling darkly under their breaths) to his side.

They did not enter the fortress by the huge stone doors but by whatever side entrance the Iron Hills Guards had used.

Bilbo hadn't actually been able to see where that entrance was – though she could hazard a pretty good guess – as she had been made to turn around with her back to the fortress.

Bofur and Bombur even went so far as covering her eyes and ears, before Bofur yelled, loud enough for her hear over the hands covering her ears, asking 'how was this?' in one of the most sarcastic tones she had ever heard from the dwarf. Which was saying something, considering Bofur mischievous nature.

She stood for several minutes, utterly blind and more or less deaf, relying solely on the Broadbeam brothers presence to keep her upright as her balance was threatening to fail her with the loss of two of senses.

"All good now, lass." Bofur finally said and she blinked as light and sound once more surrounded her. She staggered a little forward before she was caught by Bombur who set her upright again.

"I am sorry for this." She apologised to the dwarves who had chosen to remain by her side.

"What for?" Nori asked, as he and his brothers, started setting up a temporary camp.

"For having to stay out here, in the cold, with me and not," She waved a vague hand in the direction of the huge gate to the fortress, "in there, warm and-and meeting with other dwarves. I feel like I have robbed you all."

"Nah, seen one dwarf fortress, seen 'em all." Nori laughed with the Broadbeam family yelling incoherently in agreement. Ori looked mildly perplex while Dori simply shook his head and patted her lightly on the back.

She wrapped her arms around herself to fend off the cold and moved towards the fire that Nori had built.

Something heavy and warm dropped down upon her head, sliding forward in a threatening manner as if to blind her.

She reached up and shoved Bofur's hat more firmly upon her head.

"Bofur…" She trailed off when the dwarf tweaked her nose before fussing in his pack in search of sausages.

She had just curled up, more or less, comfortably by the fire, wrapped tightly in her over-size coat, Bofur's hat with her feet as near to the fire as she dared, watching patiently as the sausages cooked upon long sticks, her eyes growing heavier the longer she looked at the fire, when her ears picked up the sounds of heavy footfalls trying to be quiet.

She jerked up right, her head swinging wildly around, peering into the darkness, searching for the source of the noise.

"Nori…" She had just started to hiss when a loud booming voice broke the silence of the night.

" _AND WHAT 'AVE WE GOT HERE_?"

* * *

 **17/06/2018 Author's Note:** Short-ish chapter, but we're at least outside of the Iron Hills. Next chapter (which I'll be putting up on Wednesday) we'll be stepping into Thorin's head to see how he's doing.

The majority of this fic will be from Bilbo's POV, but occasionally there will be a shift to Thorin's, because this is just as much his story as it is Bilbo's.

I haven't been able to do much writing on this fic, so we're still sitting at nineteen completed chapters (they just need final editing and so on), with chapter twenty looking like it might be in need of a full re-write as I've hit a rode block with it and can't seem to find a way around it.

Maybe when I'm back from China, I'll have a fresh head and the words will flow free again.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed this chapter. Reviews/Comments are appreciated and do keep me motivated to post up chapters.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Thorin had rather hoped that his meeting with Dain would be a quick one.

His cousin was very much a dwarf of action, despite his reservation over Thorin's quest to reclaim his throne.

And no, Thorin had told himself firmly multiple times over the course of the walk to Dain's council chambers through the massive unground city of the Iron Hills, he was not bitter over this. He understood where Dain was coming from. Thorin's quest had been and still was, one fraught with danger, one that could easily end in death and destruction.

Dain was Lord of the Iron Hills and it was his duty to protect his people first and foremost, even if personally he would have liked nothing better than to beat the crap out of Smaug.

Or at least, that was what his letter he had sent by an Envoy all those months ago had said.

 _Well_ , Thorin had thought grimly as they had continued making their way through the grey stone city – which he had not been within the walls of since his was a dwarf of Kili's age, _here was Dain's chance to help them defeat Smaug._

But of course, as how most things usually went with Thorin, once they were actually brought before Dain's council, Dain himself wasn't even there. In fact, he wasn't anywhere in the fortress at all!

The Lord of the Iron Hills had gone off just that morning to hunt down a pack of Orcs that had been travelling a little too close to the borders of the Iron Hills and no one had any idea of when he might return.

"And in the time it might take for Dain to return," Thorin said through gritted teeth to Dain's council, "I have to leave half my company out in the cold on your front doorstep."

"Your companions," Dain's wife, a very handsome dwarrowdam with rich bronze skin and hair and beard of spun gold – let it not be said that those of the line of Durin did not have a something of an attraction for creatures with golden locks – looked incredibly uncomfortable beneath Thorin's furious gaze, but utterly unrelenting in her decision, "are more than welcome. The Halfling…"

"Her name is Bilbo." Thorin didn't even bother rebuking his nephews for their rudeness of interrupting the lady of fortress as she spoke – their mother, on the other hand, might have had a thing or two to say about it though. He was simply too annoyed over the situation to properly think of the ramification of his nephews acting difficult in front of counsel of possible allies.

Annoyed and… and he was struggling.

The Arkenstone weighed heavily in his pocket and without Billanna by his side and being trapped – _trapped!_ He was a _dwarf_ and he felt _trapped_ being underground! – inside the fortress, his mind felt dark and heavy.

Furious emotions stirred within him, memories of how his own kind, his own kin(!), had turned their backs upon him and his family in many an hour of need. He was their KING!

And yet here he was, once again, begging for aid from those who were beneath him, who looked down upon him as if he were nothing more than a wandering blacksmith who was just trying to make enough coin to get his starving family through a harsh winter.

It was a struggle to keep those emotions in check, to not lash out and rage as he had done in Thranduil's throne room.

 _It will get you nowhere and you won't feel any better for it_. Bilbo's voice was soft, little more than a whisper inside his loud and raging mind. And yet, it was enough, her voice was like a balm for his fraying nerves. Even if it was only his imagination creating her voice, it was enough to settle him, to calm him.

"Then," Thorin spoke over the squabbling between his party and the dwarves of the Iron Hills, "we shall return to our companions until Dain has returned from his hunt."

"Thorin!" Dain's wife choke out in disbelief, her eyes wide with surprise and dismay. "You needn't…"

"I needn't?" Thorin questioned the dwarrowdam with narrow eyes, "Indeed, Runora, I should not need to take such measures for my company to enter your halls and yet, you are forcing my hand."

"One Halfling," grumbled an elderly dwarf Thorin vaguely remembered from a misspent youth of dashing around the Iron Hills with Dain and Dwalin causing all manner of mayhem in their wake, "should not be the cause of such tension between us. This should be a time of great celebration; you have taken back the Arkenstone from Smaug!"

The dwarves of the Iron Hills beamed at each other as if they had played some great part in retrieving the lost King's Jewel.

"Indeed," Thorin replied icily, "a feat that was accomplished by the Halfling you are denying entry to your halls. She was the one who stole the Arkenstone back from Smaug, and it is she who has discovered that he has a weakness that we can exploit."

"She is an outsider." The elderly dwarf replied, his frown severe. "We cannot break age old traditions, not even for a Halfling who is claiming to have accomplished such feats."

"Then we will be taking our leave until Dain returns." Thorin retorted, fighting back another surge of anger at the thought that the Iron Hills dwarves did not believe that Billanna had accomplished all that she had.

"Thorin!" Runora spluttered, her eyes frantic as she looked around at her husband's council for support, but they seemed to be either dumbfounded by Thorin's reaction – or overreaction, as he is sure a good many of them were thinking – while others simply appeared to be amused, and not in a kindly way.

"Thorin?" Another voice cried out from behind him, from the main entrance of the council chamber.

This voice was filled with overwhelming joy.

And it left Thorin feeling rather like he had just been punch in the gut by Azog when he heard his name being called out by a voice he hadn't heard in years. And tried his very best not to think about… ever.

"Thorin!" As he turned slowly towards the call, he suddenly found his arms filled with a dwarrowdam who was hugging him so tightly that his rips ached.

And then, just as quickly, she was jumping away from him, her lovely face flushed with embarrassment, her smile still able to make his heart jump. Though maybe not as high as _her_ smile did.

How-how had he forgotten she was here? How…

Oh, yes, because he had done his very best to never, ever think about her… and now, with Billanna…

"Good evening Athura," Balin greeted her politely, saving Thorin from further embarrassment as he continued to simply stand there, still as a statue, gaping at her. "How lovely it is to see you again."

"It is a great pleasure to see you all too." Athura replied, dipping her head respectfully, her golden spun braids glittering in the lamp light.

She beamed widely at Fili and Kili who simply stared back at her in a stunned manner.

"How you've both grown!" She spoke with obvious delight while the boys looked from her to their uncle, their eyes filled with questions that Thorin felt he was quite unable to answer as all thoughts appeared to have vacated his head.

Athura opened her mouth as if to say more when…

"HEY-O! We're HOME!"

Thorin was jerked from his own stupor by the loud bellow of his cousin.

"Runora!" Thorin winced at Dain's bellowing as he came stomping into the Council Chamber.

Runora wore a pained, but fond expression on her face, though that fondness quickly dropped with the next thing her husband bellowed.

"Ya'd never guess what I found outside on our front step!"

Thorin blinked as Dain came striding into the Council Chamber his arm thrown over the shoulders of _his_ burglar who looked flabbergasted as to how exactly she came to be walking alongside such a massive dwarf. The rest of the company followed behind them, looking varying degrees of amused and just as confused as their burglar.

 _She truly is tiny_ , Thorin found himself thinking as he stared at the huge size difference that was between his cousin and his hobbit.

She spotted him quickly in the chamber and gave him a nervous little wave.

Thorin, still thrown by the appearances of Athura could do little more than simply stare at her. Her brow forwarded in confusion, her head cocked to one side.

"DAIN!" Runora cried as she stared at the hobbit at his side in disbelief.

"What?" Dain bellowed back with a shrug. "They're part of Thorin's company. Apparently Thorin's come… _THORIN_!"

And Thorin felt himself once more being crashed into, and this time his rips really did feel like they would break under the force of Dain's embrace. He could only hope that Billanna had managed to escape before she got crushed too.

"Good…" He choked, "Good to see you too Dain!"

"Aye! And here's me hearing you've gotten the King's Jewel! Right from under the bastard's nose!" Dain crowed, smacking Thorin against his back with such force he was almost sent flying.

"Aye," Thorin replied as he stood up straight to stare in his cousin straight in the eye, "We have."

"Brilliant." Dain gleefully rubbed his giant hands together, "Let's get going then!" The huge dwarf roared.

"DAIN!"

"What?" Dain roared back at his wife as she stared at him in disbelief.

"You can't – we can't! DAIN! Under no circumstances are you running off to fight a dragon!" Runora snapped, shooting Thorin a withering look.

"Eh, why ever not woman! He's got the King's Jewel now, we ain't got no excuse but ta go!" Dain barked.

Runora scowled, taking several deep breaths before exhaling.

"You are not going tonight!" She grated out through gritted teeth.

"Why not?!"

"Because you're not prepared, you half-witted oaf! This isn't just some orc army you can smash the head in of, this is a DRAGON!"

"It has a weak spot." Dain pointed out vainly, pouting at his wife with a hangdog expression.

"You still need a plan!" Runora shouted, "And you will not be leaving here until you have one!"

She shot Thorin another furious look before she stormed out the chamber by a side doorway to the left of her chair.

"Forgot how much Runora disliked me." Thorin comment dryly as he watched the Dwarrowdam leave.

"Think it may have had something to do with the time we dropped her braids into ink?" Dwalin offered with a snigger while Dain let out a hearty bark of laughter.

"Eh, don't mind her. She'll come around." Dain grinned, "Now is tha' time for drinking, eating and for tales to be told." Dain threw an arm over Thorin's shoulder and started guarding him out of the Council chamber.

"I'va heard a bit from the lassie here," Dain jerked his head in the direction of Bilbo, who seemed to be torn between trying to sneak looks at the dwarven city while also appearing as small as possible, to avoid further unfriendly looks being shot her way, "something bout the black arrow having found its mark?"

"Indeed." Thorin nodded solemnly, and as if sensing his gaze, Bilbo's head snapped in his direction her whole face turning red.

"Sorry." She mouthed, looking sheepish and uncertain.

Thorin shook his head to tell her not to worry herself.

She smile tentatively back, and Thorin felt his heart grow warm as her eyes grew bright once more as she returned to looking in every direction, desperate to take in as much of the dwarven city as she could.

She was fascinated.

As fascinated, Thorin was sure, as she had been with Rivendell.

Thorin felt a surge of pride course through him as well as longing; longing for a time when Erebor would be grand once more and that she might fall in love with it as deeply as she loved Rivendell. Maybe more, because then, just maybe, she might stay.

He shook himself, forcing the pleasant thoughts of her living in Erebor to the vault at the back of his mind. He did not have a good experience with believing in pleasant thoughts, of a future that had appeared set in stone.

His eyes flickered from watching Billanna and her bright, curious eyes, flushed cheeks and slight bounce to her step, and start searching, searching…

He found her surprisingly easily. Or maybe it was because she had been watching him when their eyes met.

His heart stuttered and her face became mournful before Thorin forced himself to look away, away from her and a life that was long gone, lost in the flames and smoke of Smaug's destruction.

Thorin was grateful when Dain didn't lead them to Great Hall for them to eat, but instead to a small dining hall. It was still packed with dwarves, all of whom were watching him and his company closely, their eyes quick and filled with speculation.

Thorin felt reassured when he saw Bofur keep Billanna close to his side, keeping their hobbit safe from unfriendly, hostile gazes.

He wished she could have been seated with him but his hobbit was delegated to sit with the Broadbeams at one end of the head table, while he was seated with Dain in the centre, with Dwalin by Thorin and Balin beside him.

Thorin wasn't certain as to why the brothers had decided to sit themselves in such a fashion for usually it was the reverse. Some such nonsense about Balin having better control over the both of them if he sat between them.

"Ya alright?" Dwalin asked in a low voice as food – real dwarf food, the likes of which Thorin hadn't had in years. This kind of feast was still rare to find in the Blue Mountains, no matter how well it might now be doing – was set before them on the table.

Thorin looked to his best friend, curious and worried a sickening mix within his gut.

Did Dwalin suspect that Thorin was affected by the gold sickness? That even now he was fighting to keep the greed and darkness at bay?

"Athura." Dwalin rumpled and Thorin felt immediately relieved and equally like Dwalin had sunk his fist into his chest.

"I'm fine." Thorin growled determined not to talk about that particular dwarrowdam, especially when he could feel her father watching him with a calculating look.

Dwalin rolled his eyes at him.

"Uh huh."

"I am." Thorin snapped.

"If ya say so." Dwalin snorted in disbelief, "Let me know if ya go drinking." Dwalin took a large swig from his own drink, "Mind, don't know if ya could handle a three day drinking stint, not like tha last time ya got ya self worked up over her."

"That-that was a long time ago." Thorin grumbled, remembering that night - though not necessarily the days that followed – clearly. He was thankful that the pain that he had felt that night had eased a great deal in the past few months.

"And… no," His eyes flickered down the table to where Bilbo was sitting, grinning and chatting merrily with the Broadbeams. He could see that she was uncomfortable though, the way she glanced around occasionally at the unfriendly looks still being shot her way but she was doing her best to ignore them and the Broadbeams were proving once again how excellent they were at distracting one from their troubles.

"Ya gonna tell her?" Dwalin asked, seeing where Thorin was looking with a knowing smirk, though there was a hint of worry to the large dwarf's dark eyes.

"Tell her what?" Thorin huffed, forcing himself to dig into the meal he wasn't truly interested in eating, despite how delicious it smelt and how he had longed for months for real dwarven food.

"There is nothing to tell." He paused for a moment, before adding, just a little childishly, "She didn't tell us she was betrothed and that she came running after us on the day of her wedding."

"Aye, true that." Dwalin agreed, "But her ex-betrothed isn't currently residing in this fortress and looking at ya with those big emerald eyes of hers. You're not likely to run into her ex-betrothed; our burglar is going to run into yours, whether ya like it or not. Especially when your ex-betrothed's father is one of the dwarves we're going to have the hardest time trying to convince to help us raise an army to take on Smaug."

Thorin felt a strong desire to bury his face into his hands.

"I don't even…" Thorin grumbled heavily, wincing slightly at the growing noise in the hall. He had forgotten how loud dwarves could be around dinner time, when so many months had been spent travelling with just thirteen and a hobbit.

"I don't think ya need to worry about 'er taking it poorly." Dwalin offered in attempt at being reassuring, "She's got a sensible head, our lass. But if ya do keep it quiet from 'er, she might take it tha wrong way." He paused chewing heavily upon his latest sip of mead, "She's fond of ya. Very much so." Dwalin shot him a warning look, "Don't ya go do anything stupid and hurt 'er."

"Are you her brother now?" Thorin grumbled, but the thought of hurting Billanna sent shocks of pain straight to his very soul.

"If she wants, aye?" Dwalin rumpled, "but it ain't just me ya have to worry about. Every one of us would punch ya in the face if ya hurt her. Bofur," Dwalin mused for a long might, "might try ta break every bone in ya body. He's fond of 'er too, 'member." Dwalin gave Thorin a look that made Thorin want to pinch his nose.

Yes, he was well aware of the feelings the miner slash toy-maker had towards their burglar. Behind the teasing flirtation and easy friendship there were romantic feelings of true depth.

He still could not understand how he had managed to win her heart, when Bofur from the very start had shown her nothing but kindness and warmth while he…

 _Maybe her feelings for you stem from the fact that you are a King_ , a cold voice whispered from deep within him, _and she cares nothing for you truly._

He pushed the cruel thought aside.

 _She is very fond of you_ , he reminded himself firmly, _warts and all._

He smiled softly towards his plate as he remember the words his hobbit had spoken during that first night of them truly being together.

" _Even if you had warts all over your body, it would not change my feelings for you a wit. As my mother always said, it's what's on the inside that counts, always and with you… there is so much good and wonderful things inside of you, so much that make you a great dwarf that…"_

Dwalin, seemingly deciding that he had said his piece, left Thorin to his meal to eat in peace. Only when Thorin had eaten his fill did Dain turn his attention onto him and before long Thorin had more or less brought Dain up to date with his venture.

"And the lass is certain she didn't wake tha' bastard?" Dain questioned, his eyes flickering over Thorin's shoulder towards the hobbit lass.

"Yes." Thorin replied without hesitation. "She thinks he is in some kind of deep hibernation. Though for how much longer the beast will sleep is anyone's guess."

"And 'aving had someone sneaking about his bedroom is sure to wake tha' bastard faster." Dain grumbled.

"That is what we believe."

"So, sooner better than later, huh?"

Thorin simply nodded as he watched Dain chew over his thoughts.

"Gotta plan?"

"Ideas," Thorin admitted which was met with a grunt from Dain. "We'll be needing material to build more black arrows."

Dain raised a hairy eyebrow at him.

"Didn't work so well tha first time round." Dain reminded him gruffly.

"Bilbo is certain that one hit will be enough to kill him, and the only weapon that can kill a dragon swiftly is a Black Arrow." Thorin replied easily. "You still have the materials to make Black Arrows here in the Iron Hills, do you not?"

"Aye, we do." Dain agreed, "If tha doesn't work?"

"It has to," Thorin responded wearily.

"Eh, it's too late in tha night to be having this kinda talk anyway," Dain clapped him on the shoulder, "Come, let's get ya tired arse into a bed and we'll talk more in tha morning. Yer burglar looks like she moments away from falling asleep into her plate."

Thorin glanced towards Bilbo, who indeed appeared to be struggling to keep her eyes open.

He hesitated for a moment as he turned back to his cousin.

"Thank you," He said simply, "for letting her enter your halls."

Dain snorted.

"As if I was going to let some poor little creature freeze out on mah doorstep. Yer laddies weren't gonna move anyway if I didn't let 'er in. T'was easier to just let them all in, even if I'm gonna be bitched at for days ta come. She ain't gonna cause trouble, aye?" There was only the vaguest hint of worry to his voice with his query.

"Only trouble she'll get into is talking yer ear off if ya give her half a moment." Dwalin butted in with a wide grin.

"Eh," Dain scratched his chin thoughtfully, "she was pretty chatty when we first met outside mah front door. Thought it might 'ave just been 'er nerves. She quite a skittish little thing."

"Eh, the lassie would talk under water if she could and she wanted answers to her questions. How many question do ya reckon she's got boiling in that head of hers right now?" Dwalin grinned at Thorin who simply sighed.

He wondered if he would get a moments sleep that night or if the whole night would be spent being interrogated for information. He had lost several nights of sleep in Thranduil's dungeon cell listening and answering Billanna's dozens upon dozens of questions about everything and anything she could think of to ask.

It hadn't necessarily been a bad way to pass the time, but… he could think of more pleasurable things that they could be doing that night in a proper sized bed.

Dain had given the company a whole wing of his own keep for them to stay in for the duration of their stay in the Iron Hills.

Each member of the company had their own room made up and ready for them to drop into the bed of, even Bilbo, much to her surprise and delight.

Thorin changed out of his travel weary clothes – clothes that had been too large due to them having once belonged to humans – into clothes that fitted him just right.

He closed his eyes and took in a deep relieved breath. He wasn't quite home yet, but… they were getting close, they were so close.

He looked at the bed in his chamber for half a moment, before he was out of the room – the Arkenstone in hand – and heading towards the room that would be Billanna's for their time spent in the Iron Hills.

Her room was at the very end of the corridor.

He knocked once and was immediately greeted with a 'come in' from behind the closed door.

He rolled his eyes as he opened the door and entered the room.

Bilbo was sitting cross legged on her bed, a comb in hand, dressed in nothing more than an over-sized tunic. She was pulling the comb through her curly locks, wincing with each tug.

"Let me." Thorin said as he closed the door behind him gently and walked over to her side. She didn't say a word as she handed him the comb and in return, he passed her the Arkenstone.

With ease and well-practised hands he had her curly hair behaving for him in moments, braiding the curls into a loose braid down her back.

"Cheers." She grinned at him over her shoulder before hopping off of the bed as she took the comb gently back from him and placing it and the Arkenstone gently into her pack on the dresser on the other side of the room.

As she made her way back to the bed, she rubbed her eyes, yawning. Thorin helped her back into the bed, her body immediately curling up against his.

"Will Dain help us?" She asked once she was settled at his side.

"I believe he is more than willing to so." Thorin replied, running a hand up and down her arm.

"But we need to convince his council that it is a worthy cause before he can truly aid us, correct?" She guessed with a small grumble to her tone.

Thorin let out a humourless chuckle as he pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Aye, something like that."

She let out a small huff before burying further into his side, shivering slightly.

"Cold?" Thorin asked, running a hand gently down her cheek.

She looked back at him mildly embarrassed.

"A little. Winter, I think, is a lot colder in these parts of the world than they are in the Shire."

"Hmmm, I hadn't really noticed." He admitted as he made a point of trying to cover as much of her body with his own. His actions were met with a raised eyebrow.

"Subtle." Bilbo commented dryly as she wiggled beneath him, sending shock waves up and down his spine.

"I swear," Thorin replied rubbing his nose against her own, "my actions are purely those of gentlemanly concern for the well-being of his lady."

She grinned widely.

"Is that so?" She beamed, running a fond finger down the side of his face.

"Indeed." He replied seriously before he pressed a sound kiss to her mouth. Her happy giggles were slightly muffled by their kiss but they still made his heart grow warm.

He didn't know what he had done to deserve this tiny creature of sunshine and flowers, but he would do everything in his power to keep her happy and by his side.

* * *

 **20/06/2018 Author's Note:** So a lot kinda happens in this chapter. Dain appears to no ones great surprise. But to be fair, he wasn't meant to be a surprise entrance, just to make a grand one, lol.

And to answer Child of Dreams observation from the last chapter a regarding Dain, yes, he may have been somewhat inspired by Fergus from the Disney movie Brave (not overly fond of the movie... or what OUAT did with the characters, but I liked Fergus). And his and Runora's relationship might also be slightly based off Fergus and Eleanor's marriage.

Anyway, we hung out a bit with Thorin this chapter, which I found to be quite fun. I don't normally enjoy writing for Thorin but he has really lent himself to this fic. And I've thrown a bit of a curve ball at him, because suffering from the gold-sickness and having to fight to get people, your own people to listen to you, simply isn't enough to happening, lol.

So, my main, main reason for introducing Athura into this fic - and it's not purely to create conflict and drama for Thorin and Bilbo - was actually something that Richard Armitage said at a Q&A panel at Hayden Orpheum in Cremorne, Sydney in 2013 (I didn't manage to go and will forever be kicking myself over this fact because I live closer enough to Sydney that I could have gotten my butt there if I had only tried). He was asked a question about what would he ask Tolkien about Thorin and his backstory and his answer was more or less; was there a princess that Thorin had to leave behind, so that he could further the cause of his people? And that has really stuck with me and so Athura was born from that. She is Thorin's forever great 'what-if' and I just want to play with that in this fic and probably more so in this fic's sequel... 'cough' maybe sequel.

You can check out the panel with Richard on Youtube easily enough if you just search Richard Armitage and Popcorn Taxi Q&A

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. As you're probably aware by now, I'm off to China next week for an 11 day tour, so obviously will not be posting, but the plan is to post two chapters, one of Saturday and the other on Sunday before I leave and then same deal when I come back, so expect updates to start up again around the 7th of July.

Thank you for reading this chapter and long-winded Author's Note - I'll try not to make a habit of the latter - and as always, comments/reviews are much appreciated.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Bilbo found herself in a very strange position.

Never before had she been in place where she was looked upon with such suspicion and distrust. The looks of pure dislike being sent her way whenever she moved freely around the dwarven halls were incredibly unnerving.

They had been in the Iron Hills for barely a day and Bilbo was already desperate to leave and escape the hostile looks being directed at her.

She had never felt so unwelcome in her whole life!

And she had attended many a Sackville-Baggins afternoon tea in her time. They might have wanted their loathsome son to marry her – for her lovely hobbit-hole – but they certainly hadn't liked her. These dwarves attitude towards her however made Lobelia look perfectly friendly and motherly.

There were some Iron Hill dwarves who were friendly towards her; Dain being a prime example, closely followed by his son Thorin, a cheerful dwarf lad who had inherited his bronze skin from his mother and flaming red hair from his father.

Father and son had both been welcoming when they discovered exactly who was sitting on the front door step of their home, as well as who the company's leader was.

She may have chattered nervously in their initial meeting, but whatever she had said – it was all a bit vague now – had made something of an impression on the huge dwarf, causing him to sling an arm over her shoulder claiming he liked her.

Some of his guards had protested against her being allowed entry but the Lord of the Iron Hills waved them aside and all but pulled her into his home, all the while happily chatting to her about this and that, what troubles had Thorin gotten himself into now and what was the Shire like.

Despite his massive and rather intimating appearance, the Dwarf Lord was remarkably easy to talk to. He was quick to laugh and make jokes and seemed not to be offended by her fascination of his city. In fact, he looked quite chuffed by her obvious curiosity about the underground world she had just entered; offering, despite the grumbles of those around, to give her tour whenever she so desired.

But the rest of the dwarves of the Iron Hills, though appearing to be extremely loyal to Dain, had little interest in following his example of becoming friends with the hobbit who had stolen back the Arkenstone from Smaug.

This news had earn her something of grudging respect from any dwarves she came to meet but it was not enough to stop them from looking at her with mistrust.

As were the looks she was receiving now, sitting in Dain's Council Chamber, trying to speak over arguing dwarves of what she had seen when inside Smaug's bedroom.

She shot a desperate look at Thorin, who was wearing a fierce scowl, one that she recognised him wearing whenever Gandalf had done or was about to do something the kingly dwarf did not like.

He had kept mostly silent while Dain argued with his council members and while she spoke of her discovery with Smaug, his face becoming more and more withdrawn.

Several hours into this meeting, with no definitive sign that an agreement would be reached to send an army to help them remove Smaug from the Lonely Mountain, Bilbo was beginning to worry about Thorin's state of mind.

"Even if we did send an army," an old dwarf with a heavy grey beard who seemed to have a bone to pick with Thorin and whom Thorin seemed to equally dislike if his blunt responses were anything to go by, "to assist with the removal of Smaug from the Lonely Mountain, there is no guarantee that you will be triumphant. The line of Durin has not been lucky in their battles these last sixty odd years."

Bilbo saw Dwalin grabbing Thorin's arm to keep him seated, Thorin's face becoming a truly ugly expression of hate and fury while the grey beard dwarf looked on with a smug expression. The expression, however, did falter some when the lovely dwarrowdam with spun gold braids and brilliant green eyes sitting beside him, hissed furiously at him, her face twisted in an expression of outrage. A small amount of shame entered the old dwarf's face but said nothing to retract his words, even as his lovely companion continued to scowl at him.

 _When she isn't looking at Thorin, that is_ , Bilbo thought as burning ached started forming in her chest. There was something, something there between the dwarrowdam and Thor…

"OI!" Dain barked, looking thoroughly fed up with the whole room, "None of that! What we 'ave 'ere is some good ta honest information! Smaug has a weak spot! And he's in hibernation."

"So she says." Retorted a younger dwarf, his chestnut beard jerking as he nodded in her direction, pulling her from her thoughts.

Bilbo frowned at him in response.

"Why would I lie?" Bilbo asked utterly perplexed at the very suggestion. "I have nothing to gain from lying to you about what I saw."

"You could be in league with the beast." The dwarf sneered, "How else could you get in and out without being eaten?"

Bilbo waited a moment to chew back her annoyance, her nose twitching all the while with irritation.

"First of all," She started hotly even as she heard Balin sigh in resignation, his face buried in his hand while Kili looked at her with an eager expression of ' _give it to them Bilbo!_ '.

"That is by far the stupidest thing I have ever heard! In league with Smaug? Ha, I like that! And when exactly did I find the time to join him? I have never even been to this part of the world before this venture! And," She waved her hand at the dwarf who had opened his mouth to try and challenge her further, "before you say that I could have join him, because he was in fact awake upon my entering his bedroom, which is possible, but given that we can agree that he hasn't left Erebor in almost sixty years, why would he waste his time trying to get me to join him, when he could just eat me and then _FLY_ wherever he wants to get what he wants… he has already proven that he is more than capable at doing things on his own without any outside help."

She was met with silence, the chestnut bearded dwarf looking at her in a sullen fashion,

"Secondly," She continued in a much more mild tone, "the reason I was chosen to be the company's burglar is because we hobbits are remarkably light on our feet and can go about places unseen if we so choose. I was able to sneak around the city of the wood elves without being caught, stealing keys and companions alike without their knowing." _Until they did know and they started shooting arrows at us…_

She crossed her arms against her chest and frowned at the council who simply blinked at her in a bemused sort of fashion.

"Look," Bilbo huffed turning to Dain, "we might not even need an army," she could feel hot eyes upon her, including the eyes of several members of the company.

"Lass," Gloin warned with a growl but Bilbo ignored him, forcing herself to continue meeting Dain straight in the eye.

"We just need some Black Arrows and Wind Lance… maybe a portable one if such a thing is possible. We have one archer in our company," She nodded a Kili who shrunk a little in his seat to having so many hostile gazes flicking in his direction, "and I know another back in Lake-Town. We sneak back into Erebor and shoot Smaug in his sleep." She was making it all sound so simple even she was beginning to believe it might be possible.

"Hopefully he only rolls over once every six months." She couldn't quite stop her pessimistic side from muttering though.

"And you truly think it would be that simple." The dwarf who disliked Thorin rumbled his cold gaze switching over to her.

She lifted her shoulders before letting the fall.

"Some complication may arise during the execution of the plan, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be tried. If you do not wish to raise an army to fight Smaug head on." Which, very quietly to herself, she had always found that idea to be rather… it just hadn't ever seemed like a very good idea to her. But then, what did she really know about fighting Dragons? Only what she had read in her books. She knew it was possible to kill a dragon, it had been done before, it was just…

"That's fine," She continued, forcing herself not fall down the rabbit-hole of her thoughts as snippets of passages she had read regarding the slaying of Ancalagon the Black and Scatha the Worm started circling her head, "and I perfectly understand. But having a smaller group go back in, with some Black Arrows and a portable Wind Lance, could work."

"Aye," Dain nodded in agreement, "and we might not ever get another chance like this." He gave her a wink.

"The risks…" the dwarf snapped.

"Aye, Ordor, there are risks to this." Dain rumpled his dark eyes blazing, "but us sitting back on our arses and doing nothing, is just as much of one! He will wake one day, and we are tha nearest dwarven city to Erebor. Ya think he won't come for us? We might not boast the same gold and jewels tha Erebor can, but we still have other treasures that might bring a dragons interest."

She listened to the grumbles amongst the dwarves, the scowls being shot in her and her friends' direction while others' looked thoughtful or worried.

She sank back into her chair, feeling embarrassed and quite like she had possibly over-stepped some invisible line and made matters all the worse, given that by the time the meeting was called to a close, the dwarves were still fighting and no conclusion had been reached.

"Well, tha' went well!" Dain boomed when his council had left and all but himself, his son and wife and the company were left.

Bilbo opened her mouth to apologize for over-stepping the line when she saw Dain was grinning and others of her dwarves were looking relieved.

"Um… sorry?" Bilbo asked feeling very confused. "That went… well?"

"Oh, aye. Extremely." Dain replied, rolling his shoulder to crack it. "Never seen a session move so fast."

"But-but…" Bilbo stared long and hard a t Dain to try and determine if he might just be pulling her leg.

"It's all show." Fili answered her finally, his expression so serious here in the council chamber, so very different from his usual joyful smile that he was almost unrecognisable to her. _He is a prince_ , she reminded herself with a start, _the heir to the throne of Erebor after Thorin_. "A power-play to see who will give first."

"And did someone?" Bilbo asked utterly confused now, "Give, I mean."

Her dwarves beamed at her and she sagged in her chair, hand pressed over her racing heart.

"Oh," she said softly, "I was so afraid that… we had come all this way and…" She simply shook her head unable to continue.

"Probably helped that you made them think that you thought them all cowards." Kili sniggered, leaning easily over the back of his chair.

" _No_!" Bilbo groaned, "That wasn't… I mean, I was trying… argh." She dropped her head into her hands. "Should have just kept my mouth shut." She grumbled to herself.

"Nah," Dain snorted, "would have been here for days then. Ya did good lassie. Even put a few in their place." Dain looked positively delighted while his wife pinched her nose.

"She's made some enemies today." Runora pointed at grimly.

"Eh, what's life without a few enemies? Keeps it interesting." Dain shrugged, "Any of them give ya any grief, ya let meh know, ya hear."

"Um," Bilbo looked at her dwarves who seemed to be just as amused by Dain's fondness for her as she found it strange, "alright?"

"Good girl. Right, food!" Dain bellowed, before in rather grand sort of fashion, held out his arm for his lady to take. Which she did with the air of a wife who has suffer many a long year with a thoroughly exasperating husband.

Bilbo couldn't help but grin slightly at the two as they left the room.

"I didn't over-step, did I?" She asked the company as they too made to leave the room.

"Maybe a little," Balin said patting her arm gently, "but it all worked out in the end. Very well, in fact."

"I still don't understand how what occurred today in that room could possibly be deemed as 'very well'." Bilbo grumbled and received only teasing grins in reply.

"Fine!" Bilbo sighed, feeling very put upon but relieved all at the same time.

She looked over at Thorin whose expression was still withdrawn and closed off from the rest of the world, the Arkenstone clenched tightly in his hand.

 _He isn't doing well,_ she thought with a surge of panic as she took in his grey-ish features and the hooded look to his eyes.

She moved quickly to his side, hovering awkwardly by him.

"I'm fine." He said gruffly. But his handing over of the Arkenstone was gentle, pressing the glowing stone into her hands. He didn't even watch her slip the jewel into her secret pocket.

The rest of the company watched the exchange without a word, making Bilbo wonder if they had more of an idea of Thorin's struggle with the gold sickness than the two of them had originally thought.

The change in Thorin, once he no longer had hold of the Arkenstone, was almost immediate. His eyes grew sharper and more focused and his face filled with colour.

Bilbo let out a small sigh of relief, a sigh that was mirrored by the rest of the company.

Thorin looked embarrassed and ashamed when he saw his company looking at him, appearing to brace himself in preparation for ridicule and disappointment to be directed at him from them.

But none came, because of course it didn't, these dwarves were his, loyal to him to their very bones. For when he had called they had come, with willing hearts and even now, he would still take them over any army from the Iron Hills. And they would still follow him to their dying breathes.

A resolve burned within him, stronger than it ever was before, to not fail them. To fight and conquer the darkness and greed that clawed within him.

They believed in him, so he could not fail them by succumbing to the sickness. He would fight and he would win, or die having fought it to his very last breath.

* * *

 **23/06/2018 Author's Note:** Well to be complete honest, this chapter didn't turn out quite how I wanted it to. But as I'm on a schedule and I have plans in regards to telling this story in a different light, once this this story is completed, I'll leave it as is for the time being.

I will be posting chapter seven tomorrow, and then no more updates until I'm back from China on the 6th of July.

Thanks for reading and as always reviews/comments are much appreciated and big, big 'Thank you' to all the lovely readers who have been leaving reviews/comments. Your words have really meant the world to me.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

His dreams were a mess of visions; dark and grim, filled with frightening images that made his heart race in terror.

He fights to wake from these disturbing dreams, but it is a struggle. The crushing weight of darkness and greed and the desire for more, more, _more_ is constant and unrelenting. It will not let him leave so easily. It wants him far too much to simply allow him to wake.

His dreams are chaotic, jumping from one horrific image to the next, with him having no control over what he saw or the actions that he made within his dreams.

He was trapped within his own dream body. And no matter how he yells within his own skull, he cannot stop the actions his dream-self commits. All he can do is observe helplessly as he is consumed by the gold sickness and destroys all that he once held dear.

From the depths of his dream, he can hear Balin sobbing in despair and his dream-self… his dream-self does not care.

Fili and Kili hate him. Their rage palpable, for Thorin has turned his back on all that he stood for, all that he taught them. He does not care except for a tiny part of him that is relieved, relieved because even standing, surrounded by mountains of gold they seemed to unaffected, spared from the curse of Durin's Line. But truly, it is tiny, the part of him that cares.

The rest of his company; his loyal dwarves who possess willing hearts and came when he called, are pulling back from him. They follow him still, into death where he will most likely lead them, they follow all the same but they fear for him.

His dream-self does not care for Balin's ancient pain, as his sobs over history repeating itself, but he cannot stand the look Dwalin gives him.

The grief-filled heart-broken look shakes his dream-self in a way nothing else has or ever will because Dwalin is strong, stronger than anyone else Thorin has ever known in his life and yet here he is, his oldest friend and strongest ally, looking moments away from crumbling to the stone ground in bitter tears.

" _You are lesser now than you have ever been before_." Dream Dwalin says, pain etched into every word he speaks.

" _Do not speak to me as if I was some lowly dwarf lord,_ " his dream-self snarls, staggering to stand upright, to appear as tall as the dwarf his father believed he would be, " _As-as if I were still… Thorin… Oakenshield._ "

It hurts, the pain in his chest and within his skull and yet still, he does not wake from this nightmare.

" _I AM YOUR KING!_ " His dream-self roars in fury at the pain within him, at the heartbreak and for being so weak and allowing himself to become what he is now, what he swore to himself and to others that he would not allow for this to happen.

" _You were always my king_." Dwalin says in his dream, a tear rolling down his scarred cheek, " _You used to know that once_."

Thorin's dream-self has his sword out and it is pointing directly at Dwalin's heart and it takes all of Thorin's willpower to stay his own hand, to stop himself from slaying his best friend whose head is now bowed with sorrow.

" _You cannot see what you have become_."

" _Go!_ " His dream-self is shaking, struggling, fighting Thorin hopes, his sword clattering to the floor of his dream. " _Get out… before I kill you._ "

The pain Thorin feels is real and raw, an exact mirror of the expression on Dwalin's face. His oldest friend looks tortured, desperate and for a long while Thorin thinks that Dwalin will continue to try and reach out to him but as the dream fades, Dwalin turns and leaves him to own struggle.

 _Let me wake_ , Thorin clawed at the dark pool of gold that he seems to be drowning in, _let me wake from this nightmare. I will not allow for this to happen, any of it!_

He cannot! He simply cannot! He cannot allow for any of his dreams to come to pass, he…

" _Thorin! Thorin!_ " Her voice is panicked and desperate and he can feel soft flesh beneath his hands, as well tiny fingers clawing at his skin.

He presses down.

" _Thorin!_ " Her voice becomes strangled and he has to get to her, has to help her because there is true terror and pain in her voice.

Fear for him… or because of him.

The gold and darkness disappears and all at once he is looking into her frighten brown eyes, her fingers clawing desperately at the hands around her throat. His hands… wrapped so tightly around her neck that she can barely get any air into her lungs, her lips were turning a terrible shade of blue and her usually flush skin was losing all colour.

" _Thorin_ …"

He jolted awake, sitting bolt upright in the bed.

"Thorin?" His whole body shudders as he looked to his side, at Billanna rubbing her eyes as she peered up at him in the darkness, "are you alright?"

He stares at her.

At her curls framing her face and are hopelessly tangled despite the braid he had put in it before they had gone to sleep. At her freckled face, her brown eyes that are fighting to blink away sleep.

Everything she does speaks familiarity and comfort. She isn't afraid, not of him, but she is worried, her hand lightly reaching up to touch his face.

He is out of the bed in a heartbeat, his breath ragged for it is too close to his nightmare. The last thing he saw before he woke up was her hand reaching for his face as she stared up at him in grief and fear as he strangled her to death.

Now she is simply staring at him in confusion, fully awake and alert, her legs swing over the edge of the bed, ready and willing to comfort him.

 _It was just a dream_ , he tries to convince himself.

 _It felt too real_ , another voice whispers and it had. He had felt her skin beneath his finger, her frantic pulse and her clawing fingers. He had felt the wetness of her tears against his hands.

"I need… I need air." He says making quick work to pull on clothes that will protect him from the chill of the early morning.

She sits on the edge of the bed, hands twisting in her lap, biting heavily upon her lower lip.

"Do you…" She starts carefully but stops as he shakes head. He needs to be alone, to get his thoughts in order and to get over the terror of his dream.

"I… I will be back." It's the best he can promise her right now, the best he can do to reassure her that he hasn't completely lost his mind to the gold sickness. It is not much, and the look of worry and something close to heartbreak hurts him almost as deeply as the thought of him killing her, but he can't give her anything more, not now.

Now he needs to get out, get out of this room and away from her, out of this damn fortress if he can manage it.

He needs fresh air, to feel the wind in his face with the open sky above his head. He needs to be alone with his thoughts.

"I'll see you in the morning then." Her voice is soft and laced with worry and panic and a good many other emotions too but his hobbit is trying to be brave and supportive as she smiles her worried but trying to be strong smile at him and he can't help but fall in love with her just a little bit more.

He leaves her bedroom without another word, moving quickly and quietly through corridors he only vaguely remembers leading to the surface. He is following his nose if nothing else, the scent of fresh air and open skies.

He passed a few dwarves along the way, mostly guards who had to catch themselves before they said something that might be considered unwise, only barely stopping themselves from doing so when they do eventually recognise him. Despite his sombre mood he found he was able to take some amusement over watching them backpedal and apologize profoundly.

He accepted their apology with a simple nod, deciding that it was simply not worth his time (nor would it do him well to feed the sickness within him) to take offense over a more or less honest mistake. Most of the dwarves he met on his walk through the halls were much, much younger than him, closer to Fili's age than his own, and they could not be expected to know him on sight, not when it had been half a century since he had walked these halls.

Yes, it did grate that they hadn't recognised him immediately, but the looks of worry and honest regret in their youthful face simply made him all the more aware of just how long it had been since he had been in this part of the world. Hopefully, if all went well, this would change and such mistakes would not be made in the future.

It seemed to take an age for him to find his way outside, but once he did, he all but fell upon the stone wall of the small lookout post, breathing deeply the thick pre-dawn air, relishing the fresh chill that entered his lungs.

He hadn't realised how much he missed smelling fresh air until he had spent days underground. From years spent wandering the lands as a blacksmith, trying to find a new home for his people? He hadn't really thought of just how many years he had spent being out in the open world under the sky instead of having rock over his head.

He wondered suddenly how Billanna was coping with the extended period underground.

Yes, her race built their homes underground much likes dwarves did, but they did not spend their lives beneath the earth. Their homes were built underneath soft rolling hills and much of their time was spent out in the sunshine, surrounded by greenery and flowers.

He would have a garden built for her, he decided. A garden of her very own in Erebor to plant whatever she liked and could spend as much time in as she wanted. And if they must return to the Shire to procure plants; flowers and vegetables that she so desired, so be it. He would have her happy.

 _That is if she even wants to stay with you at all_ , a traitorous little voice hissed at the back of his mind. _What can you offer her truly, King under the Mountain? You are broken and weak. The sickness within you is proof of this. How long will it be before it consumes you, and your dreams become reality? In the end, little King, all you will give her is death._

"No!" He hissed raggedly, "I will not…"

Something sharp suddenly dug into his back, just between his shoulders blades, biting in just so.

"What is this? Thorin Oakenshield caught off his guard?"

The hand upon his dagger relaxed though his heart still pounded rapidly within his chest though now for an entirely different reasons.

"Good morning Athura." He said slowly as he turned around to face he would-be attacker who smiled boldly back at him.

"You've become careless in your old age Thorin." Athura teased as she sheathed her dagger back upon her belt.

"One could argue that they would not be expecting an attack so early in the morning in a remote place such as this, chosen purely upon a whim. Especially in a fortress where most of its occupants don't even know what I look like." His argument is a weak one, he is well aware of that, but it is the best he can come up with when his mind was struggling from sickness and heart-ache over once more being face to face with his first love.

"That may all be true." Athura agreed easily her bright emerald orbs searching his face, looking for something though he did not know what, "but you do have enemies here… you must know that." She pressed, worry evident in her tone and by the way she bit her lip just so.

"Your father?" He guessed, feeling the familiar old flare of pain and resentment towards the old dwarf who had denied him so much, including the hand of the dwarrowdam in front of him. But it was an old pain, old resentment; he could not dwell upon them.

Now more than ever he could not allow himself to dwell upon every misdeed that had been committed against him or his family. It was too dangerous and would lead him down a very perilous slope. Not with his own gold sickness proving to be of a different vein to that of his grandfather and even his father's.

While his grandfather's gold sickness had led him down the road of gold-lust and arrogance and in his father it had allowed for his grief to consume him wholly that he simply disappeared, leaving his family without a father and his people without a leader.

In Thorin, his gold-sickness seemed to be more bent towards vengeance. He wanted all those who had committed grievance against him, his family and his people to pay.

Yes, he wanted the gold. Oh how he desperately wanted the gold that Billanna had described made up Smaug's bedroom, but more than anything else, he wanted revenge.

But revenge was a destructive path, not only for those that walked along it but for also the people whom they met and followed after them out of loyalty and love.

"Yes, my father." Athura replied softly, her emerald eyes pained, "He is greatly unhappy with the events that have occurred these past few days. He certainly didn't not take well to being spoken to as he was by the Halfling in your company." She gave a light snort, "He says you should have better control over those employed into your service. And that her being a Halfling and a burglar she should not have been involved in the meeting at all, voicing her opinions as if they held any worth and instead she should have been left to remain out on the front step as the council originally agreed." She stopped there, her expression turning one of worry, as if she feared she had said too much.

Thorin gritted his teeth at her words.

"And you?" He asked maybe a tad harsher than he meant to, "What do you believe?"

She blinked at him, her head tilted to one side, her eyes once more searching his for an answer he isn't certain he is able to give.

"I think you know your company well enough to know what you are doing. And it was amusing to see someone so small as she put him, and others, so easily in their place. She is clever, your burglar."

Thorin smiled despite himself. Because yes, she was, even if there still were times when she doubted her own cleverness or importance to their quest.

Again, he regretted his and other members of the company's unkind and at times cruel actions towards her.

Yes, she had broken her word to be their burglar upon meeting them and then just as quickly changed her mind again and had come chasing after them as they were leaving Hobbiton. But aside from those early days of indecision – which given the simple fact that she was a hobbit and the worst danger she had come across in her short life was the disease that had killed her mother, her losing her head over the prospect of having to go into a dragon's lair to steal a very precious stone would make anyone re-think their decision on joining such a quest – on her part, she had been as true to their quest as any dwarf. If not more so, for not at any point, had she ever given up on their quest.

Not once. Not even when all hope had appeared lost, she fought on and here they were, in the Iron Hills, with the Arkenstone stowed away in her pack, and all because of her.

"I'm so, so very glad you are safe." Athura blurted out suddenly breaking into his thoughts, "And that you are so close to achieving your goals. I know many have doubted you and I'm…" She looked away, her face filled with frustration and grief, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not following you. Please believe me when I say I would give anything to be able to go back and change my answer I gave you that day."

Thorin winced despite himself, remembering that dreadful day all too clearing, even though it had been decades ago now.

"Think nothing of it." He replied gruffly, shoving old hurt deep down within him, to the very bottom of his heart. "From what I hear you have lived a good life, a safe one, with a husband who cared for you dearly before his untimely passing, who gave you a son to be proud of. That was all I have ever wanted for you. To live, healthy and safe, and truly loved. The road I have walked was a hard one and I am a bitter broken dwarf because of it. It was for the best."

"Thorin…" Her eyes lowered as she reached out a hand towards him, and he tried to control the rate of his heart at her touch.

"Do you not think…" She asked softly, her eyes hopeful and for a moment Thorin felt all the love he had once had for her all those years ago come crashing back to him, warming his heart and making him ache for the future they might have had if Smaug had not come, the future that they could possibly still have once Smaug was defeated. He would have little fight making Athura his queen, unlike…

"No…" He said softly pulling back from her as gently as possible, "no I don't believe we could. I have changed far too much Athura. I am not the dwarf you knew and loved. Too much has happened, far too much and I cannot… no, we cannot go back to how things once were."

"We could get to know each other again." She offered softly, her emerald orbs filled with heartbreak that almost made him waver, but only for a second.

"I would like that." He agreed softly, "But do not expect for anything more than friendship to grow. I loved you will all my heart once Athura. But… things have changed and I cannot…" he trailed off watching as hurt and comprehension cross her face.

"You have found someone else." She guessed her tone calm but her eyes reflected nothing but pain and heartbreak.

Thorin could only nod.

To his surprise however, despite her heartbroken expression, there also seemed to be gladness within her green eyes.

"I am glad. No, truly I am." She said when she saw Thorin's look of surprise, "I would have you be happy, even if that isn't with me." She gave him a sad little smile.

"Thank you." Was all he could think to say in response along with a truly heart-felt smile as a huge weight lifted from his shoulders.

A weight he hadn't really been aware he carried ever since their betrothal had been broken and she had left him to go with her father to the Iron Hills.

 **888**

Bilbo didn't know exactly how long she sat on the bed; to-ing and fro-ing between the wisdom of letting Thorin go off on his own, in the middle of the night after waking from a nightmare that had clearly affected him deeply.

She didn't think he would do anything so radical as hurt himself – the very thought sent her into a new wave of panic and worry – but she definitely didn't think leaving him to his own thoughts was a good idea.

 _Sticky your nose again where it isn't wanted Bilbo_ , her Baggins side whispered worriedly as Bilbo got fully dressed and left her assigned bedroom.

 _I'm not._ She retorted softly as she moved silently down the corridor, _I'm not! I'm just making sure he isn't alone. If he won't talk to me than maybe he will talk with someone else. He just – he should not be alone._

She hoped she was doing the right thing, she really did, and that she wasn't breaking Thorin's trust but what else could she do? Leaving him alone to his own thoughts seemed like a very unwise thing to do indeed.

She tapped on the door of the one dwarf Thorin might talk to.

The door was opened far faster than she was expecting causing for her jump back a little in surprise.

"Whatcha doing up and about?" Dwalin rumbled when he saw her in the corridor, the knife he held out immediately lowering.

"What's that for?" Bilbo yelped, nodding to the knife as she lay a hand over her racing heart.

"Eh… nothing." The knife was quickly tucked out of sight, "Now whatcha doing up at such an hour? Thorin's gonna worry himself senseless if he wakes to find you gone."

Bilbo felt her cheeks heat up at the implication that the warrior dwarf knew full well that she and Thorin shared a room.

"Thorin's the reason I'm here actually." She worried her bottom lip, watching how much more alert Dwalin had become with her words.

"Why? What's happened?"

"I… he woke up earlier, from a nightmare, a bad one I think, and…" She tucked a stray hair behind her ear, "he left. He wouldn't talk to me about it but I saw it had clearly disturbed him and I… I let him go." She squeezed her eyes shut as self-loathing hit her and curled tightly around her heart.

"And ya worried about him, aye?"

"Yes. Look… I'm-I'm not trying to stick my nose into his business or trying to invade his privacy. I know there are many things Thorin holds close to his chest but I… I think he should have someone to talk to, someone who truly understands him." She paused as she wrapped her arms around her waist, "I've never seen him like that Dwalin." She whispered, "He looked so fearful and revolted with himself and…"

"C'mon, let's go find tha idiot." Dwalin huffed, closing his door and ushering Bilbo down the corridor, "Thought I heard him a little while back, but thought…" the large dwarf shook his head, "Never mind, let's find him and give him an ear full for worry ya so."

"Oh no," She waved her hands in front of her, "no, that's not why… I mean, I am worried about him, of course I am, I just, I…"

Dwalin gave her friendly nudge letting her know he was only winding her up.

"I am worried about him though." She mumbled softly.

"Aye," Dwalin grunted, his eyes in the gas lamp light were dark with emotion, "Aye, as am I. He's been struggling with a great darkness." He glanced sideways at her and she felt immediately relieved that he too knew about Thorin's struggle with his gold-sickness.

Dwalin nodded when he saw she understood.

"It's always worried him," Dwalin continued as they made their way through the city, passing by guards who were able to point them in the general direction Thorin had gone in, "that he might fall prey to the same sickness as his grandfather and father. Scared him stiff some days. Was hoping that with him having seen what it did to his grandfather and father it might not affect him, but…" Dwalin shrugged heavily unable to finish his sentence.

"He's fighting." Bilbo retorted hotly not liking the way Dwalin seemed to think Thorin might be already lost. "He will not let himself succumb without a fight."

"Aye that he is. Just hope it's enough."

"It will be." Bilbo growled as fiercely as a hobbit could manage.

Dwalin looked down at her with a small grin and ruffled her messy curls.

They walked on in relative silence, comfortable in each other presences to not make the walk awkward.

"I think," She started cocking her head to one side, "I think I can hear Thorin. He's talking with someone."

Dwalin caught her arm and pulled her to halt as they were about turn a corner of the corridor and peered around it himself.

After a few moments of peering around the corner of the corridor, the large dwarf let out a frustrated sigh before swearing in dwalvish.

"'I'm fine' he says." Dwalin grunted with a scowl, "told him not to get 'im self worked up over her and what does he do?"

Bilbo stuck her head around the corner to see Thorin talking with the golden haired dwarrowdam that she had noted watching Thorin almost every time they had been out in the dwarven court.

The jealousy she had felt flashes of during those times, especially when she had seen Thorin looking back (before just as quickly, he look away again) raised its ugly head.

"Who is she?" She managed to ask in a calm voice as she pulled her head back around the corner to instead look up at Dwalin who seemed to have just remembered that she was there and all his frustration that he had clearly been feeling towards Thorin had disappeared to an expression of great discomfort (a look she never thought she would see on the large dwarf) and guilt.

"Ah…"

"Dwalin."

Dwalin pinched his nose and sigh heavily through his mouth.

"She broke his heart… a long time ago," Dwalin muttered darkly his anger once more flaring into existence.

"She… _what_?"

"They were betrothed," Dwalin grunted with a shrug of his massive shoulders. "But then Smaug came and all oaths and pledges made were broken or proven to be worthless. While Thorin fought for sixty years to give our people a home to call their own, she and her family came here and lived a life of comfort and without care." He spat as he caught hold of her arm and started steering her back the way they had come.

Bilbo opened and closed her mouth several times, trying to find the right words to say in response to that but failing each time. The jealousy in her chest was less intense now but still, it ached.

"They seem to care for each other still." She mumbled softly causing the large dwarf to pull up short.

"Eh, all that is, is two people looking at each other and seeing tha could ave beens. Think nothing of it." He rumbled as he started pulling her along again.

"Then why are we leaving them?" Bildo retorted hotly.

"I'mma leading ya away because if Thorin were to know ya were there he'd do something real stupid and make an even bigger arse of 'imself. Once I got ya back to ya room, I'mma gonna grab 'im meself and knock his head in a few times to remind 'im of all tha pain she's caused 'im."

"That doesn't seem..." Bilbo trailed off slowly, rubbing her chest as they continued to walk.

"Don't matter," Dwalin growled, "I've seen the hole he's tried to bury 'imself in over her before. Not gonna let him do that to 'imself again. 'sides, he has you now and she ain't worth 'im losing you over."

"Because I found the Arkenstone?" Bilbo asked a little sadly.

She was shocked when Dwalin pulled them up short once again, the expression on his face stern.

"Now ya listen ta me, lassie and ya listen close. Even if ya hadn't found tha stone, ya still worth more than her. Ya always have. Ya better for 'im in every way imaginable and if he fucks this up between ya, I'mma knock his head off."

"But… but…" Bilbo said softly biting back tears, as all the worries that she had held deep inside of her suddenly burst forth without restraint.

"How can this ever last? Whatever it is that is between me and him? Not only am I just a hobbit and he's a dwarf and our races have radically different age rates but I'm… a burglar and he's – he's a _king_! Even if he doesn't marry that dwarrowdam once we have Erebor back, he..." She closed her eyes and shook her head, "He won't want me anymore, not like how we are now. He is king and that means certain obligations and I don't want to do anything to hurt…" Already her mind was pulling up all memories of unfriendly dwarven faces as they scowled at her presences within the halls, of how her being among the company had denied them access to the Iron Hills.

She would only cause Thorin endless problems if their relationship continued and if the dwarves of the Iron Hills were to find out about them…

"Alright," Dwalin large hand came to rest over her mouth, "now ya just getting ahead of ya self and working ya self up over a future not even set in stone."

"I'm not wrong though am I?" She brushed his hand away, "when Erebor is re-taken and Smaug is killed, once the dust has all settled, they will want him to marry, sooner rather than later. And to someone from a good, strong dwarven family, not a hobbit." She shrugged her shoulders, looking away, unable to bear the sad look Dwalin was giving her, "I was fooling myself into thinking this could ever work."

"Lass…"

"It's fine." She forced herself to smile. "Honestly it is. It's probably for the best to start thinking of these things now instead of further down the track… will lessen the pain, don't you agree?" She looked around her quickly, glad to see she recognised the corridor they had come to stand still in. "I know my way back from here, so if you want to go back for Thorin, you can. I think he still needs to have someone to keep an eye on him, that nightmare he had was truly awful and talking about it with you should help him a great deal."

And before Dwalin could say another word, she was turning on her heels and all but running back to her room.

She managed to open and close the door without making a noise but couldn't quite stop herself from letting out a little heartbroken sob as she flung herself onto the bed.

She curled herself up into a ball and let out all the pain that was inside of her out into the pillow that still smelled like Thorin.

She wasn't… she wasn't ready to let him go. Not yet, not ever really.

It wasn't fair, it simply wasn't fair.

 **888**

Thorin was a little taken aback when he discovered a rather shamed-faced Dwalin wandering the corridors near to where the lookout was. And though his oldest friend denied following Thorin, Thorin couldn't help but wonder if his best friend was lying to him. But the more he questioned, the more closed off Dwalin became.

Something was deeply bothering his friend but he was refusing to talk about it and instead he seemed to be doing everything his power to deflected attention back to Thorin. He was also steering Thorin away from returning to his bed, arguing that it was close enough to dawn for them to find some breakfast.

Athura looked at him questioningly but in the end they both simply followed after the large warrior to royal kitchens where they were able to find some already prepared breakfast.

Athura took her leave shortly afterwards and instead the two old friends sat in one of the most awkward of silences that they had shared in years.

"Alright." Thorin growled unable to taken the god awful silence any longer, "out with it."

"Don't know what ya talking about." Dwalin grunted, picking at what was left of his breakfast.

Thorin simply raised an eyebrow at his friend who heaved a great sigh.

"What happened to not getting yerself worked up over Athura? Did ya plan ta meet 'er or…"

Thorin immediately bristled.

"It was purely by accident. I needed air and went to the lookout. Apparently it's where Athura likes to spend her time when she can't sleep."

Dwalin grunted and stabbed his plate again.

"Nothing happen." Thorin growled before sighing. "We talked and I told her where things stood between us." Dwalin looked at him sharply, "which is that what we had in the past is exactly that, in the past. While I might still have feelings for her and she for me, they are not the same and now that I have…" he felt his cheek grow warm and Dwalin let out a good-natured snort, "I don't want anyone else but her Dwalin."

"Aye," Dwalin nodded and once more the look of guilt entered the large dwarf's expression, "Ya might wanna, eh, tell her that."

"What did you…" He was unable to finish his question due to the arrival of the rest of their company, all expect one.

Bilbo wasn't among them and the filthy look he was receiving from Bofur, meant the blame over her not being there was being place solely upon his shoulders.

He shot Dwalin a heavily questioning look but his friend seemed to have decided that his cup of tea was incredibly interesting and refused to meet his gaze.

Thorin made to leave the table and find his hobbit only for Dain and the rest of his family arriving for their own breakfast and he was swept into a day of planning and preparation.

 _It's fine_ , Thorin thought trying to calm his racing heart when lunchtime rolled around and Bilbo still hadn't made an appearance and Ori had come back after taking her some food saying in a worried tone that she wasn't feeling well and not to worry about her.

 _Whatever it is, we can work it out. I shouldn't have left her. I should have explained my nightmare, why I was so deathly afraid. I will, I will make this right. Everything will be fine. It has to be…_

* * *

 **24/06/2018 Author's Note:** So... I'm kinda leaving things on a relationship cliff-hanger (is that a thing, I feel like this is a thing). Sorry, not sorry, but actually kinda am sorry, because I normally hate doing this kind of thing, what with it going to be something like two weeks before the next chapter is posted and for this drama to start being resolved.

I swear I didn't plan this when I was setting up my posting schedule I was just putting dates against chapters without actually thinking about what was in said chapters. Again, sorry.

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, despite the relationship drama. I've never actually written this sort of drama before, so it's all rather new to me and I'd be interested to hear what you lovely readers think.

Just a heads up, I tend to hate love-triangles, so don't expect to see one here. Or rather, I hate love-triangles where they take over the whole story and it gets all ugly and bitter and you stop liking all the characters involved. That's definitely not going to happen here.

Anyway, this is the last chapter to be posted for two weeks as I'm off to China on Tuesday... and I'm still not packed, but I do have passport, visa, money, sim card, vpn (hopefully) sorted and as I'm on a tour, everything is booked and ready and I can't get lost, so that's all good. Just wish my anxiety would get the memo and bugger off.

Expect the next chapter to be posted around the 7th of July (I'm back on the 6th), you know, unless there is a huge outcry for the next chapter to be posted, like tomorrow because you don't want things left here. If that's the case, my arm might be twisted, but otherwise see you all on the 7th!

Bye for now!


	8. Chapter 8

**7/07/2018 Author's Note:** Hello all! I have returned home from China as of yesterday morning. And wow, what can I say, what an experience China is. My mind is still absolutely blown by so much of what I have seen in that incredible country and really, I didn't even see that much of it! Barely scratched the surface of all the amazing things that beautiful and historical country has to offer.

But in saying all that, I am rather glad and happy to be home. I was getting a bit home-sick near the end of the trip and as much as I was enjoying the food (though there were times the food didn't seem to be happy to have been eaten by me) I was rather craving some McDonald, which is exactly what me and my friend has as soon as we got off the plane and were through customs.

But yeah, China. Would heartily recommend to anyone.

Anyway, enough ramblings from me, Author's Notes are not what anyone is here to read, so please, enjoy this chapter.

Thank you

* * *

 **Chapter Eight**

After spending a whole day hiding away in her room, sending away worried friends and eating only the barest of food that they had brought her, Bilbo was starting to accept that maybe she might have overreacted to the events of last night.

She still didn't think she was wrong. Not when it came to worrying over such things like hers and Thorin's age difference – which was considerable. She was closer in age to his youngest nephew than she was to his – and the fact that at some point Thorin would be expected to marry a Dwarrowdam of a well-to-do family. And there was also the rather morbid fact that she was going die well before him.

No, her distress over these simple facts and a few others her over-active brain had cooked up were still very much very real problems.

Problems that Bilbo had no solution to. Because there weren't any. She would die before Thorin would be considered old and he could never marry her because she was a hobbit and could bring nothing to the marriage.

 _Except love_ , she thought sadly picking at the blanket on her bed, _and maybe being able to set up a trade agreement between the Shire and Erebor. Food is going to be an issue once the mountain is reclaimed. What with there being barely enough food to feed the people of Lake-Town in the area, let alone a mountain on its way to being repopulated by dwarves._

She sighed heavily.

 _You've never wanted to get married anyway_! Her Took side grumbled. _I don't see why you're getting so upset over this! You knew! You knew in your heart that whatever you have with Thorin could not last and that marriage was certainly never on the table. You've been used, and now you're feeling sorry for yourself._

She had been used, whether Thorin had meant for that to happen or not. She couldn't imagine – or maybe she simply did not want to believe – that Thorin had willing used her emotions and body for his own means and then once she had no more use, he would discard her as easily as an old rag.

No, they were both victims of a lifetime of loneliness and desire to be wanted by someone. It was both their faults that it, whatever it was between her and him, had gone as far as it had.

Love indeed! Ha! She had only known the dwarf for something like six months! Who had ever heard of anyone falling in love with someone so quickly? Love at first sight was the stuff of fae tales and myths, that sort of thing didn't truly happen in real life!

She sighed heavily.

 _Enough_ , she told herself firmly, _enough of this. You knew you would have to let him go, it just so happens that you are having to do so much sooner than you were expecting._

She was just thinking that she should probably get up and go and see her friends when there was a knock on her door. It was a very distinctive knock that only belonged to one dwarf and she immediately felt her heart start to pound.

Was she ready to face Thorin? Her heart was already hurting from her decision to end things, but it certainly wasn't ready to face the heartbreak of actually following through with her decision this very moment.

 _Come on, be brave, this needs to happen._

"Come in." She called in a very small voice but of course, he heard her anyway and her door was opening before she had even finished her call.

Her heart stuttered at the sight of him.

He did not look… well, he didn't look happy. And not in his familiar grouchy Thorin way either. His expression, his whole body in fact, the way he was cautiously stepping into her room and closing the door behind him, his eyes were dark with worry, reminded her more of when Thorin had been trying to make amends with her in Lake-Town right before they left for the Iron Hills when he angered her over being distant because of his sickness.

His eyes searched her face which must look as miserable as she felt because he was immediately striding over to her and cupping her cheeks between his warm, calloused hands.

"What is it?" He asked, a thumb gently rubbing down her face, making her heart melt and want to cry all at the same time.

"Nothing." She forced herself to smile though it hurt deeply to do so.

"Don't lie," He replied softly, "you are a terrible liar and I can see the misery inside of you as clearly as I can see the sun on a clear day. Now tell me what is troubling you so. It not like you to hide yourself away. That is what I do." He was trying to make a joke, a poor one, but despite its poorness, she found herself smiling for real.

"I just… have been thinking." She bit down upon her lower lip, "of what is to come in the future."

"And thoughts of the future are hurting you?" Thorin asked, still running his thumbs against her cheeks.

"Yes… among other things." She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "What are we doing Thorin?"

"At the moment I'm trying to find out what has made you so miserable that you felt you had to hide yourself away all day." Thorin replied and she huffed a sigh of exasperation.

"That isn't what I meant, and you know it. Don't be obtuse! It doesn't suit you."

"Then tell me what you really meant then."

"What I meant was, um," She licked her lips, her nerves were trying to trap her words within her.

"Um," She took another deep breath to try and steady herself. With closed eyes and head hanging low she whispered;

"What does the future hold for us Thorin? Where is whatever," She waved a hand vaguely between them; "this is between us going to go?"

"Oh." Thorin said removing his hands from her face and moved, instead to her slight surprise, to sit upon the bed beside her.

"I'm not expecting anything," She mumbled softly still keeping her head low and feeling ridiculous and small and in something that was way, way over her head. She wished she had stayed with her original notion that romance was simply something she had no interest in. It would have saved her a good deal of pain. "I just want to know when this might end, so I can be prepared." For the heartbreak.

She stared intently down at her lap, unable to meet his eyes.

"Is that what you think?" His voice was surprisingly soft, "That I will discard you the moment I reclaim my mountain?"

"I don't know." She mumbled, "I just know that this can't go on for much longer."

"Why can't it?" He was being obtuse again, the bastard!

She lifted her head to frown at his unreasonably calm face, though she thought she could pick a few odd emotions within his very blue eyes that he was trying his best to hide.

"Well, there is the very simple matter of you being a _king_ (!) and they will want you to marry for heirs and foreign relations and other such things that I suppose are important when it comes to royal marriages."

"Indeed, I am a king." Thorin agreed as he leant back easily upon the bed, his eyes remaining entirely focused upon her face, "but if you are worried about my being expected to marry for heirs, you needn't be, as I already have an heir in Fili. And I have no interest in marrying for political reasons."

"What about Athura?"

Thorin looked startled for a moment before growling under his breath.

"Dwalin?" He phrased it as a question and her guilty look was enough of answer for him.

"How much did he tell you?" Thorin asked with a heavy sigh.

Bilbo hesitated as she ran over what Dwalin had told her and wondered if it was really worth opening that can of worms.

 _Too late now, you more or less already have_ , her Baggins side sighed.

"Just that you were once betrothed and she broke your heart by choosing to go with her family and come here instead of with you…"

"And living a hard life constantly on the move." Thorin finished roughly.

She gave a jerky sort of nod.

"Dwalin and my sister have never forgiven Athura for her decision to remain with her last living kin and come here to the Iron Hills instead of following after me, as they did, where she would have had to face over and over again obstacles and hardship."

"But you have?" She queried softly.

Thorin gave a sad sort of laugh.

"Certainly not at the time. But as time went on, yes, I could understand why she made the decision she did. Her father was a force behind her decisions too. He had lost his wife and brother when Smaug took Erebor and then his remaining brothers, his father, two aunts and his sons were all lost in the Battle of Azanulbizar. We Durins were said to be carriers of bad luck after that battle and he wanted to spare his last family member from death by breaking her betrothal with me. In time, I have come not to fault him, though I still hate the bastard. He was never very fond of me to begin with and it appears his opinion of me has not grown any better after forty odd years."

"He'll probably still try to reinstate your betrothal with her though. Now that you are so close to reclaiming Erebor." Bilbo commented thoughtfully, feeling her heart sag at the thought.

"That is more than likely." Thorin agreed still watching her face closely, "But Athura and I… I will not be marrying her."

Bilbo blinked in confusion.

"But… why? You know her and you clearly still having feelings for her. And her for you… so, why?"

Thorin sighed heavily as he reached out to run a finger down the side of her face.

"Because… my feeling for her have changed. Yes, there is a part of me that will always love her but you must understand that that part of me stems from the fact that I was raised from early childhood being told that when we were of age we would marry and then, when the time came she would be my queen. That future of course went up in smoke when Smaug came."

"But you could have it back." Bilbo pointed out her heart aching over a future that had been so cruelly torn from him. "When we reclaim Erebor and Smaug has been killed, you can have that future back."

"Is that what you want?" Thorin asked his tone curious though also a little strangled.

She pulled a face and looked away from him, forcing her sadness and jealousy to the side.

"No, but what I want doesn't really matter. What I want only involves two people, what you want or rather what is wanted from you involves a whole kingdom."

"I'm not going to marry her Billanna. No matter how much others might want it, I cannot marry her when I have you." He gently caught her chin and turned her gently to face him.

"But you won't always have me though." She whispered sadly, biting her lower lip and fighting back stupid tears.

Thorin frowned at her as he shifted closer to her.

"And whatever do you mean by that?" He asked softly.

She scowled at him then because truly, how could he ask such a thing? How could she be the only one who worried about such an obvious obstacle between them?

"Because I am a hobbit! Our life expectancy is only a little better than a humans. You will outlive me by decades, if not a century. And," She waved him off when he opened his mouth to speak, "what is to say you won't roll over tomorrow and look at me, only to see a babe instead of a woman? And then," her voice was growing higher as her hysteria and sadness grew, "just as quickly, you will watch an old woman take my place while you remain more or less the same! Why would anyone want to…"

He caught her face between his hands as he hauled himself upwards and kissed her hard upon the mouth. For a moment she melted before she started batting him lightly away with her hands.

"Stop that! Stop kissing me to keep me from talking of something you don't like…"

"You are right." He growled and she was surprised by just how much sadness and grief had entered his beautiful blue eyes, "I don't like what you're saying."

"But it has to be said." Bilbo insisted as a tear started rolling down her cheek. "I refuse to trap you in something where you're just going to watch me wither and die. How could I do that to someone I lov…" She stopped herself just in time before she blaze on to keep Thorin from speaking, "I watched it happen with my mother and father; I watched how it destroyed him. I refuse to put you through that kind of pain for… whatever this is."

"And you do not think it would be worth it?" Thorin asked softly, rubbing away her tears with his thumb. "We may only have a short amount of time together, by dwarf reckoning, but do you not think we could enjoy the time we do have rather than living with the regret of not even trying because of the fear of pain?"

She gaped at him, speechless, her heart leaping.

 _Just say yes_ , her heart begged, _just say yes…_

"But-but," She stared away from him and down into her hands once more as she started to stutter, "you don't… you don't… I mean, you haven't said…" she swallowed forced herself to whisper without stuttering, "you do not love me."

Her face burned like fire in embarrassment and worry, "You say these things" She continued in a mumble, "but how can they mean anything when…"

"Says who?" Thorin asked once more catching her chin so that she might look him in the eye, "you've never asked me."

"I-I, um… well? Do you?" She asked in a tiny voice.

He leant his forehead against her own.

"Very much. More than I can say. If I loved you less, maybe I would be able to speak of it more."

"That is possibly the most romantic thing you have ever said to me." She spluttered feeling as if her heart might burst with joy.

Thorin chuckled softly and rubbed his nose against her own.

"You're still a king." She pointed out softly, "and I'm still just a hobbit… and a burglar. And neither of those things appear to rate very highly with dwarves it would seem."

"I will not lose you over the narrow mindedness of others." Thorin grumbled firmly.

"Though," His expression became a pained one as he continued, "if you were to leave me because of the pressures of being involved in a relationship with a king and the fact that people will constantly look at you and judge, I would not fault you."

"While I have never been very much of a people person," She spoke softly, but kept eye contact with him as she chose her words carefully, "I think I could learn to handle such pressures and judgement, if I am assured to have the following things;" she offered with a tiny smile, "books, a garden and your love, and I will be a very happy hobbit indeed."

Thorin laughed softly before kissing her nose fondly.

"Have we eased some of your worries now?" Thorin asked softly, stroking her curls.

"For now, more or less, yes." She replied and Thorin let out a small relieved breath.

"May I ask what brought this all on?" He asked and Bilbo blushed, ducking her head.

"I'm guessing," Thorin continued with an air of annoyance, "that Dwalin made some mention of Athura, though when I have no idea, as you seemed fine last night and then this morning, not."

"I followed you." She sighed, eyes once more returning to stare down at her lap. "This morning after you woke from your nightmare. Not straight away, but I was worried for you as you seemed so distressed, so I went to Dwalin and we tracked you down and saw you with Athura and…" She shrugged her shoulders helplessly, "the misunderstanding began."

"You thought I was being unfaithful?" Thorin guessed with a closed expression, though hurt was reflected in his dark blue eyes.

"With me, to her, maybe." She admitted unwillingly, "But it was more of a flickering thought. I was more upset over the idea that I was going to have to let you go much sooner than I thought. I believed, once Dwalin told me that you and Athura were betrothed years ago, that it would only be a matter of time before the betrothal would resumed."

"I'm going to kill him." Thorin sighed flopping backwards upon the bed, pulling her along with him.

"Please don't," Bilbo replied in mock seriousness against his chest, "you would hurt Balin's feelings terribly. And you would miss him…" As she spoke she felt him stiffen against her.

She pushed herself up to look down at him and saw that his face had lost all colour and he looked grief-stricken.

"Thorin?" She gently touched his face, "What is it?"

"I… nothing. It is nothing."

"It is hardly nothing." She retorted before softening her voice as she leant against him, "Please, you have listened to me and my fears, now it is my turn to listen to whatever it is that has been bothering you. Or I could go and get Dwalin… or Balin?" She offered but Thorin shook his head, closing his eyes briefly.

"No, it… it was… I was remembering my nightmare from last night. It seems it has affected me more deeply than I wished to believe."

She snuggled close to his side and waited.

He stared down at her face, seeing only her commitment to listen to him and support him in any way she could.

With a deep shuddering breath, he recounted his dream from last night to her.

When he had finished he half expected to feel her pull away in fright but instead she simply look thoughtful as she rubbed his shoulder.

"I will not let it happen." He mumbled as she stared at him with her big brown eyes.

"I know that. It was just a dream, Thorin. A terrible, awful one, but still, ultimately a dream."

"It felt so real." He groaned, rubbing his brow with his hand.

He then lifted said hand to stare at it, remembering the feel of his fingers being wrapped around her throat.

"Stop." Her voice was soft but commanding, "Stop tormenting yourself. You have not done the terrible things from your dream, for that was all it was, a dream. You have a far stronger will than to allow a nightmare to consume you and control you."

"The sickness…."

"I know." She sighed softly, "When Smaug is defeated and Erebor is won, we are going to put all our effort into defeating that disease once and for all." She growled fiercely and Thorin felt his love for her swell deep within him.

"I love you." He said as he pulled her face towards his, kissing her deeply. She made a little noise, deep inside her throat before kissing him just as passionately back.

He was a little startled when she suddenly rolled on top of him, her small face filled with determination, her clever fingers pulling at the ties of his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Thorin questioned, finding himself rather delighted by her straight forward boldness.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" She retorted primly, "I'm giving you something else to think about than awful dreams that will never come to pass."

"And your answer to that is sex." He grinned when her already usually flushed face became steadily redder though her embarrassment did nothing to deter her determined fingers from removing his jacket, shirt and undershirt.

"I feel this is very one-sided." Thorin commented lightly as he shivered as her fingers lightly traced the scars upon his chest.

"Well, there's nothing stopping you from helping me remove _my_ clothes." She retorted her words coy though her cheeks were burning so brightly that her attempt at being a seductress might have slightly missed its mark, but Thorin truly would have his hobbit no other way.

With a growl from him and a squealing giggle from her, he took to removing her clothes with a vengeance, kissing her deeply as he went.

He rolled them under the blankets and sheets, with him once again on his back with her straddling his waist.

She kissed him deeply as they became one, their bodies moulding together as if they had been made for each other.

He held her close as they moved, kissing her mouth and stroking her hair as she gasped and breathed out his name in ragged little cries as they built each other closer and closer to an impossible edge that they could fall off of at any moment.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** This was a fun chapter to write as it was also something of a new experience. I've never written much for relationships in my stories previously, I tend to shy a bit away from writing romance if the a couple hasn't already been established in canon, but luckily, Bilbo and Thorin really lend themselves to romance and this chapter was fun and enjoyable to write.

I wanted to write Bilbo and Thorin as a couple who talk things out, even if it makes them uncomfortable or they speak of things that stir up painful thoughts. Nothing frustrates me quicker about any relationship that I read about or watch, where one or both parties of the relationship simply won't talk about their feelings and instead they keep everything bottled up inside. That's not a good relationship, nor is it healthy in my book and I don't want to write that kind of relationship here. So while Bilbo and Thorin are going to have their issues, their going to try and at least talk about it with each other about their concerns and worries.

Bilbo might seem like she has more than Thorin, but that's only because she overthinks everything, while Thorin is more straight forward with his own concerns, but as the worries he has are similar to what Bilbo has raised herself, he has full belief that together they can find a solution or if nothing else, they will simply enjoy the time they have together.

I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and as always reviews, comments or Kudos are always appreciated and loved.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

Bilbo stirred from her slumber, feeling warm and content, curled up against Thorin's side. She could feel his fingers in her hair, braiding her curls then simply letting the braids unravel.

She turned her head upon his chest and blinked in the vague direction of his face, waiting for her eyes to adjust the dim light of the room.

"Sorry," Thorin apologized his fingers ceasing their attention upon her hair, "I did not mean to wake you."

"Its fine," She replied drowsily, rubbing a hand across her eyes, brushing away the last of her sleepiness away. Sleep?

"Have you slept at all?" She questioned, pushing herself to sit up so she could get a better look at his face. Even in the dim light, she could see his slightly sheepish expression.

"Thorin!"

"Shush, it is fine." He stroked her face warmly. "I have never been a good sleeper, even before the gold sickness."

 _Well_ , she supposed, _he wasn't wrong about that_. From what she knew of his sleep habits when they had been travelling, he had slept, at best maybe three hours, five if he had been hurt. And now that they were somewhere safe, he was plagued with nightmare fuelled from his gold sickness and was possibly sleeping even less.

She huffed.

"You should have woke me up. I could have kept you company." She grumbled causing him to chuckle.

"You are fond of your sleep."

"Even if I am, I would rather keep you company then sleep while you are suffering."

"I wasn't." He reassured her, leaning up and pressing a quick kiss to her lips. "I was simply thinking and enjoying your restful presences."

She stared at him sceptically for a moment before simply allowing the moment to pass.

"May I ask what you were thinking about?" She asked as she snuggled back down against his chest and his hands resumed playing with her curls.

"Hmmm, I was thinking about the future. Our talk last night has reminded me that I had not given it much thought."

"Oh…"

"My thoughts were not bad." He chuckled softly, kissing the top of her head. "They were mostly concerned with when this is finally over and done with, I would like to properly court you."

"Court me?" Bilbo blinked in surprise, twisting her head around to look at him again.

"Indeed, if you would allow me to." He picked up her mother's ring from where it lay on its cord around her throat.

She laughed at that.

"I think the fact that I am naked and sharing a bed with you more than indicates that I would be very happy to be courted by you." She grinned before adding thoughtfully. "I do wonder how different Dwarven courtship is to hobbits. Hobbits tend to only court for a short while, six months to a year at most before tying the knot. But that is due to us knowing each other and everyone else families for most of our lives. Is that similar for dwarves who stay within the mountain of their birth?"

"Dwarf courtships can last anything up to ten or so years," Thorin replied easily while Bilbo felt her mouth drop, "then another couple years will be spent being engaged and then finally marriage."

"Um… We, um, we did move rather fast, didn't we? Or at least, you did." Bilbo choked while Thorin grinned rather wolfishly back at her before diving in for a kiss.

"I saw what I wanted and decided to take a chance." His response made her blush and feel all warm inside her heart.

"I'm glad you did." She murmured against his mouth.

"As am I. But I feel that I have rushed us very quickly to a place we are not yet ready for." He cupped her cheek, "And if you would not mind, I would like to wait before we marry."

"Marry?!" Bilbo squeaked her eyes wide. Alright so maybe the 'M' word had entered her mind once or twice regarding this dwarf, but it hadn't even occurred to her that HE might have thought about it too!

"You-you want to…" She pressed a hand to her burning face, her head swirling.

Thorin chuckled.

"Not for a little while yet if you don't mind."

"No, that is utterly fine." Bilbo assured him quickly without a moment's hesitation, "I am more than happy to wait."

Thorin gave her a dry look.

"I am!" Bilbo insisted hotly, "Marriage has never truly interested me. It…" it scared her, marriage did. Truthfully, the idea of loving someone so much that you bind yourself to them for the rest of your life and then… they die and you are left being even less than you were before you married them.

"We will not become your parents, Billa." Thorin promised gently and it took Bilbo a moment to realise two things. One she had begun to breathe erratically the moment she had started thinking about marriage which had led her down the usual road of thinking about her parents and her mother's death and her father's fall to despair and losing his mind. And secondly, Thorin had addressed her by a nickname she had not heard in well, years. Not since before her mother had died and… it didn't hurt.

"Billa?" She asked softly and even in the dimness of the bedroom, she could tell Thorin was blushing.

"Slip of the tongue." He replied sounding much closer to the Thorin she met all those months ago. "It won't…"

"No, it's fine, honestly. I always rather liked Billa, it just after my mother… people just went about addressing me as Billanna or Bilbo." She gave him a shy smile, "You can call me Billa if you like. Honestly I don't mind. I can't believe you haven't called me it before actually, Billanna has always been rather a mouthful."

She waited for several long moments as he chewed upon her words.

"My Billa." He finally said and Bilbo grinned, leaning forward to kiss him.

"Only you though." She said softly. "Just you."

"Understood." Thorin grinned, kissing her again and rolling her beneath him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close as he carefully settled his body upon her, sliding easily inside of her.

She sighed in contentment as Thorin pressed as warm heart-felt kiss to her mouth as they became one.

 **888**

With almost dizzying speed, Bilbo found herself and her company making the final preparation for the return trip to Erebor, only now they had several portable Wind Lances and many, many black arrows in their arsenal.

She was fussing over her pony – busy work really, something to keep her hands and mind busy and not think of the return journey to The Lonely Mountain and what awaited them all there – when she sensed rather than heard Thorin come to stand with her.

He had been supervising the attaching of each of the portable Wind Lances to two sturdy ponies but had clearly thought the company and several Iron Hills guards had the matter well under control.

"I would have you remain here, if I thought I could convince you." He said in a dry tone that had Bilbo raising her eyebrows at him.

"Well, that's not going to happen." She retorted hotly.

"I thought as much." He sighed, looking around at the amassing forces that would be accompanying them back to the Mountain.

Not a huge army, nothing like what was described in Balin's tales, but apparently the dwarves, despite their gripes over her very existence in their halls, had accepted her idea of only a small group actually going into the mountain to try and defeat Smaug while Dain's Army was to remain hidden outside to act as support if things went sour.

"But I would have you safe." Thorin added softly.

"As I would have all of you, but neither of us are going to get what we want until you get your mountain back. And that means exterminating the rather large pest that is currently residing there. Besides," She grinned at him in a slightly teasing fashion, "you might need me to rescue you all again."

Thorin rolled his eyes at her in return.

"And to think I would see the day when you became cocky about your abilities." He rumpled though there was a pleased look to his bright blue eyes.

"I'm not wrong." She replied still grinning widely.

"No," Thorin agreed whole-heartedly, "No you are not. I suspected we will need you to rescue us once again before this quest is over."

"I did promise the Wizard that I would keep you all safe." She laughed before her face immediately fell. Speaking of the wizard…

"The bowman has still sent you no word that Gandalf has passed Lake-Town?" Thorin asked and Bilbo shook her head, her eyes looking sadly in the direction of the Thrush that Bard had sent to her only yesterday, perched atop of a rock near to where she stood.

"No," She replied worriedly, "the only message from him was to say that everything is still quiet about the mountain, nothing about Gandalf." She bit her lip heavily, "Do you suppose… something has happened to him? Something… terrible?"

"When we have won back Erebor and things have started to settle, we'll go and look for him. Or at least send word out that we are enquiring about his wellbeing."

She smiled her thanks as Thorin helped her up onto her pony.

He wore a small knowing smile when he loosen her iron grip upon the reins.

"Use your knees, remember. The reins are only for guiding your pony in the direction you wish to go in."

"Oh, yes, right," She gulped, trying to keep her hands loose and her knees locked against the pony's side, "Of course."

She could hear grumbles from around them, her head immediately sinking so low that her shoulders were brushing against the bottom of her ears.

Thorin scowled at the Iron Hills dwarves who would be accompanying them to Erebor and immediately the dwarves were hastily moving away from them, red faced.

Bilbo sighed heavily.

She didn't know why she had even bothered hoping that being outside the Iron Hills would make the Iron Hills dwarves act any different towards her. They seemed to have decided to stand by their decision to dislike her with no interest what so ever of wavering on that choice.

Was it always going to be like this?

Or would they, like her own dwarves did over a period of time, grow to accept and even like her? One had even come to love her romantically – two, her Took side was quick to remind her but Bilbo brushed the thought aside quickly, as always, deciding it would be best not to dwell to long upon that.

She might even be able to cope with their dislike and mistrust of her a little better if they weren't so… so… blunt and to the point about it.

Having grown up in Hobbit high-society, Bilbo was well aware of sugary words coating sour intent. And while she had never enjoyed the backstabbing at a tea party – it rather ruined ones appetite Bilbo found – but she found she would happily take a battle of sweet words disguising painful jabs over cold shoulders and nasty looks any day.

At least in a battle of words she had something of a chance to hold her own. Hobbits were not known for their foul looks and cold silences.

"We'll be leaving soon." Thorin said softly his eyes firmly focused upon her face, reading every unhappy expression that crossed it, "Stay with the company and do not give them," he nodded his head toward the Iron Hills dwarves who were being incredibly unsubtle regarding their watching of hers and Thorin's conversation, "any mind. They will come to know how truly brilliant and invaluable you are. I have full confidence that by the end of all of this; you will have won them all over. Just like you did with us." He smiled and despite her growing discomfort of being on a pony and the continual company of dwarves who didn't like her at all, she smiled too.

He left her side soon after that, as he would be riding at the front of the army with Dain, Balin and Dwalin, and his nephews, while she rode only a little way back, surrounded by the rest of the company, who chattered with her good-naturedly, teasing her and each other and a good time was had by all, despite many disapproving or shocked look thrown their way by dwarves of the Iron Hills.

But such looks were easy enough to ignore when she was laughing so hard over the antics of her dwarves that she almost fell off her pony and her stomach ached from laughter.

Yes, she was terrified to be going back to the mountain, even as prepared as they seemed to be, there were still a chance that all their careful planning would go up with smoke as the dragon woke and they would be forced to fight for their lives. But if that were to be the case, there were no dwarves she rather fight and die beside.

 **888**

Bilbo had sent Bard's Thrush on ahead of the army a day after they had set off from the Iron Hills, a small scrap of paper tied to the bird's leg letting the bowman know that the company was returning and bring with them more Black Arrows as promised.

She had ignored the grumbles from the Iron Hill dwarves when she had done this and Dain had been informed who she was sending a message to. And while Dain himself hadn't appeared overly bothered by her communicating with a human, others of his company were less than happy.

And though she understood not a word they mutter in her direction with dark looks, those of her company shot furious looks back, leading her to easily guess that whatever was being said, was not complimentary towards her.

She was doing her very best to not allow the Iron Hills dwarves attitude towards her upset her, but even so, it was all growing rather old.

She had already suffered through this once, in the early days of the quest, must she really go through it all again, and on a larger scale?

At least she had her company who seemed to be even more protective of her than usual and going out of their way to talk with or include her in their conversations as often as possible.

Another ill effect of having to travel with Dain's army was the fact that Thorin seemed to be keeping his distance from her. Not that he was being unkind or rude towards her, no hardly that, he was the first to jump to her defence when it came to the Iron Hill dwarves, but he wasn't… as open with his affection toward her now.

It wasn't a huge thing. It was just that, she missed sleeping at his side at night, curling into his warmth and listening to his heart beat. And she might have been hurt by the obvious, at least to her, distance that he had put between them if it weren't for the fact that he seemed to be suffering too at the sudden loose of affection between them.

She had caught him more than once looking at her with sad longing and had had to fight down the desire to simply go over to where he was sitting with Dain, his generals, Balin and Dwalin and hug him.

She more or less understood why Thorin had put the distance between them. One, it was due to the agreement they had made to try and slow down their incredibly fast-pace relationship. And secondly, well, the dwarves of the Iron Hills were having enough of a hard time accepting her as being a trusted member of Thorin's company. Who knew how they would take to knowing that she was actually sharing a bed with their king!

It had been easier to hide their relationship in the Iron Hills, with closed doors separating them from the rest of the world. Out here in the open, it would be far harder to hide and so it had been decided that they would simply… put some distance between them.

 _And now we're both suffering_ , she had sighed and could only hope that this distance would only last for as long as they were travelling with the Iron Hill dwarves and once they reached Erebor, killed Smaug, and started on the long process of returning Erebor to its former glory, she and Thorin could return to truly enjoying each other's company without feeling like they were keeping some terrible, dirty secret.

She only hoped she wasn't some terrible, dirty secret…

 _Stop it_ , she told herself firmly and forced herself to not let her anxiety stir a whirlpool of worry within her gut.

Yes, she would very much welcome the time that they would be free of Dain's army.

 **888**

Which occurred after three and half days of travel and they had come to a rocky outcrop that had full view of Erebor, Dale and of Lake-Town in the distance.

This had been the agreed upon spot that Dain and his army would stand in while Thorin's company snuck back into Erebor with a portable Wind Lance and several Black Arrows to kill Smaug.

If the company should fail to kill Smaug, Dain's army, with a clear view of Erebor's huge entrance gate in sight, were also equipped with several of their own portable Wind Lances. Theirs were a slightly bigger version to the one the company would be taking with them into Erebor, closer in size to its cousin mounted in Lake-Town.

And then, if they should also fail to kill Smaug, the Black Arrows that the company were taking to Bard now would hopefully be what finished the dragon off.

And if he didn't kill Smaug, well… Bilbo figured she'd probably be very much dead by that point and there was really little point of her worrying over that worst case scenario and decided to instead try and remain positive and hope that they would be able to kill Smaug while he still slept.

"Yer looking all worried again Lass." Bofur commented lightly as the company made their way to the ruined city of Dale which had been the agreed meeting point between them and Bard.

She looked at him incredulously.

"If you hadn't noticed, worrying is a great part of my character."

"And over-thinking things too." Bofur replied as he gave her a friendly nudge.

"That too." She agreed, rubbing her face.

"It'll be fine. Don't ya let yer-self worry so. This'll be over before ya know it."

"You say that, but…" She shook her head sighing softly.

"It will." The dwarf grinned at her widely, "Ya'll see."

"I hope so." She mumbled as she looked around the ruined and burnt out city of Dale, her heart sick and aching over what once must have looked wonderful but was now nothing more than blacken stone and haunted by ghosts.

It was well after night fall before Bard and several other anxious looking men from Lake-Town appeared in the main square of Dale.

The conversation that was shared between the dwarves and men was short and to the point, the handing over of Black Arrows and rumblings of good luck wished from both sides.

The men of Lake-Town looked torn between being hopeful and downright terrified.

Bard simply looked grim, his grip of the Black Arrows he had been handed was knuckle-cracking tight.

"When do you plan to attack Smaug?" Bard asked once the Black Arrows had been exchanged.

"Tomorrow." Thorin replied, "as soon as possible."

Bard nodded.

"We've already started preparations for evacuation." The Bowman said grimly, "It's not much, but it's better than doing nothing."

"And the Master has allowed for you to organise…" Bilbo started to ask only to stop when Bard gave a snort.

"He does not think the Dragon will leave the mountain once he has had his fill of you." Bard replied, "He may be working on a plan to try and take the mountain for himself, but I do not know. All I do know is that he is paying little attention to what is happening outside of his own house, and his men are busy with whatever his plans are, meaning we are able to prepare ourselves for the worse."

"The worse will not come." Thorin rumpled, the company nodding vigorously in agreement. "We will kill the beast and all shall return to how it should be."

Bard once more only nodded, his grim expression growing all the graver.

"I can only hope that you are right." The bowman finally said before he and his men took their leave of the destroy city of Dale and disappeared into the night.

"Are we to return to Dain?" Gloin queried as he warmed his hands by the fine fire he had built earlier in the evening, "or stay 'ere for the night."

"Here." Thorin replied without a moment's hesitation, "It is far too late to go back to Dain and I do not fancy returning to his side in the dark. And we have the Wind Lance with us; there is little reason to return to Dain at all until after we have completed our task. We will leave from here at first light."

"Aye." The dwarves agreed and busied themselves with getting settled for the night.

Thorin, once he was certain that his companions' attention was more or less turned away from him, was quick to pull Bilbo to his side and kiss her.

"Hello." Bilbo murmured in slight surprise against his lips, her arms slipping readily around his waist.

"Hello." He kissed her mouth soundly, sighing in contentment at having her back in his arms. "Missed you." He mumbled and though his ears turned slightly red at his statement, he felt no real regret over his admission.

"Have too." She snuggled eagerly into his side, enjoying his warmth almost as much as she had enjoyed his kiss.

Thorin snort at her rather obvious attempt at stealing his body heat. Not that he could fault her, her tiny body was cool to touch, despite the several layers of clothing she wore, he could still feel her shivering.

"If you could only wear boots." He commented lightly as he pulled her back towards the warmth of the fire, ignoring the rather revolted look she was sending his way at that particular suggestion.

"You would be warmer if you did." He continued as he set her down by the fire.

"My feet are just fine, thank you. They are the toughest part of my body – aside from my head – it's the rest of me that is frozen to the bone." She retorted through chattering teeth.

Thorin said nothing in return, instead simply pulled her against his side and wrapped his arms around her once more, her fingers eagerly curling beneath his coat for warmth.

Amused smiles were thrown around the company at their king's and burglar's antics but they all kept their peace.

They knew how easily embarrassed their king became whenever his affections towards their burglar went noticed. And they had spent the last three and bit days watching their king and burglar being thoroughly miserable over having to hide their feelings for each other.

No, they would save their teasing for later, for now they would let their king and their burglar enjoy each other's company for who knew what tomorrow might bring.

* * *

 **8/07/2018 Author's Note:** So we've returned to Erebor. What could possibly go wrong?

I know this chapter might feel a bit like its all over the place, jumping from here to there. I did try to fix that in several ways, but at this point in time, this was the best I could get it too. Maybe if I do a re-write of this fic, I can neaten this chapter up a bit.

I hope you are enjoying this fic. We'll be moving back to the original updating schedule, with the next chapter being posted this coming Wednesday and then the chapter after that will be posted on either Saturday or Sunday, depending on what is happening on either of those days.

As always, reviews and comments are deeply appreciated.


	10. Chapter 10

**15/07/2018 Author's note:** Sorry for the delay with this chapter. I have been sick with the flu and just didn't have the motivation to get out of my nice warm bed, go to my computer in my study and go through the whole rigmarole of posting a chapter on Wednesday, nor Thursday and Friday. And then when Saturday rolled around, I was busy and so here's your Wednesday chapter on Sunday.

I think I will just go back to posting once a week anyway, with Sunday being my posting day. Hope that doesn't disappoint too many of you, but it just works better for me to simply post on the weekend.

* * *

 **Chapter Ten**

At first light the following day, the company were making their way back to the secret door. A pulley system was created to lift the Wind Lance up to the ledge that the secret door was on.

Bilbo's arms were crossed as she stared down the long passage way that the secret door open into, her heart racing within her chest.

She-she really didn't want to go back in there, not now that she knew, after seeing with her own two eyes, that there really was a living, breathing dragon sleeping within the bowels of the mountain.

 _Sleeping_ , she tried to remind herself weakly, but the knowledge offered her little comfort.

 _Come on_ , she told herself firmly, _you've come too far to back out now simply because you are afraid. Do the brave thing and bravery will follow._

At least she wasn't the only one who looked scared but determined. All her dwarves were wearing determined expressions but there was no hiding the shake to their hands as they fussed over the Wind Lance, checking that it hadn't been damaged as it was being pulled up to the ledge, nor the looks brothers were shooting to brother, uncles telling nephews not to do anything reckless and that they were to stay together and if things appeared to be going badly, they were to get themselves out.

"Your mother will have my head if I allowed anything to happen to either of you." She heard Thorin rumble while the boys wore put upon expressions, clearing exasperated by their Uncle's protectiveness.

"We'll make you proud Uncle." Fili swore earnestly while Kili nodded vigorously beside him.

"You have already made me proud ten thousand times over." Thorin replied, his expression filled with almost parental pride, "You have nothing to prove, much less to me. But I would have you both live to face another day, then lose you both because of pride and recklessness."

The boys hesitated before reluctantly agreeing to stay together and to get out if things were going poorly.

Thorin extracted the same promise from the rest of the company, who like the two boys, reluctantly swore to do as Throin requested.

Thorin and the rest of the company looked at her, waiting, and Bilbo blew heavily through her nose.

"Yes, alright, fine, I will run if things seem not to be going our way." She was already fingering her silly little ring in her waistcoat pocket, turning the small gold band over and over again between her fingers. With her magic ring she had a better chance of getting out of here alive than the rest of them.

And didn't that thought just make her stomach plummet something awful.

Bilbo went into the tunnel first, alongside Balin for even though she had a fair idea of how to get back to Smaug's bedroom; she wasn't a hundred percent sure.

Thorin and Dwalin followed after them and then the rest of the dwarves pulling the Wind Lance behind them.

The air seemed warmer than it had the first time she had walked down this tunnel, she noticed with a nervous heart/

Her arms tighten against her stomach, and tried not to think too hard as to why that might be.

It probably just her imagination anyway, being out of the cold wind from outside, of course being in the shelter of the mountain would make her feel warmer. Yes, that was it.

 _Don't be awake, oh please, please don't be awake._

When they reached the doorway that led down into Smaug's bedroom, the decision for her to go first was unanimous though no one was truly happy about it.

With a weak smile, she crept forward out onto the landing that overlooked Smaug's vast bedroom of gold, heart pounding in her chest.

Yes, it seemed to be far warmer in the vast hall than it had previously and…

She back footed so quickly into the corridor where her dwarves still stood, that she all but tripped over her feet forcing Dwalin to catch her in her haste to get out of the room.

"Lass… what?"

"Well _thief_ ," A low melodious voice called out from the darkness of the chamber beyond, "It seems you have returned. Help yourself to more, there is plenty to spare"

Bilbo's heart pounded in her chest with indescribable terror as the dwarves looked at each other in panic.

"Come now," Smaug continued to call from within the vast chamber, "I smell you. I hear your breath. I feel your air. Where are you? Come, don't be shy. Step out into the light."

"Billa…" Thorin hissed before making a lunge for her when he saw her nervous grin as her hand slipped into her waistcoat pocket.

"Grab her…"

But she was gone and no matter how the dwarves snatched at the air around them, none could catch their now invisible burglar.

"I'll distract him." She whispered to the dwarves who were looking around with ever increasingly panicked expression. "Go! This might be our only chance!"

She moved smoothly out onto the landing of the doorway into Smaug's bedroom once more and swallowed as she took in the dark shape that she had seen looming in distance that had had her reeling back with terror only moments before.

She took several steps down from the landing, heart racing as the dark head of the dragon swung in her direction.

"You are near _thief_." the dragon spoke with an almost amused air about him, "What shall you steal this time, I wonder. I might even be able to help you choose."

She took a deep a breath and forced herself to speak in her best Baggins voice.

"No thank you, O Smaug the Tremedous!" She replied and tried not to shake when the Dragon seemed to be staring straight at her with it cold red reptilian eyes, "I have not come for presents. I only wished to have another look at you and see if you truly were as great as the tales say. I still could not bring myself to believe them."

"And…. do you _now_?" She watched the dragon draw his massive body so that he was now completely visible to her in the dim green light within the vast chamber. His wings slightly spread from his body, his head tilted in an almost majestic fashion. His vast chest glowed a brilliant red with fire.

Bilbo pressed her hands over her mouth.

He was huge!

What-what had they been thinking? This creature had destroyed a human city and taken a dwarven mountain for his own, all in one afternoon! What hope did they have…

She fought back a frighten sob.

 _Think Bilbo, think. What do you know about dragons?_

Fire, claws, sharp teeth, wings, fond of precious metals and stones, are incredibly vain…

 _Vain…_

"Truly," She finally squeaked, "the songs and tales fall utterly short of the reality, O Smaug the Chiefest and Greatest of Calamities."

"You have very nice manners for a liar and a thief," The dragon snorted though he did appear to be somewhat flattered, even though he obviously didn't believe a single words she spoke.

"You seem familiar with my name," the dragon continued after a moment's thought, "but I don't seem to remember smelling your kind before. Who are you and where do you come from, may I ask?"

 _Dragons also like riddles_ , Bilbo remembered reading from a book back in Rivendell. _Be clever Bilbo and you might be able to live through this_.

"You may indeed," She replied with fake cheer as she shook where she stood, "I come from under a hill, and over hills and under hills my path has led. And through the air. I am she that walks unseen."

"So I can well believe." Smaug replied, settling himself down upon his golden bed, his forearms crossed neatly in front of him as he listened to her talk in a more comfortable position, "but that is hardly your usual name."

"I am the clue-finder, the web-cutter, the stinging fly. I was chosen for the lucky number."

"Lovely titles, go on."

"I am she that buries her friends alive and drowns them and draws them alive again from the water. I came from the end of the bag, but no bag went over me."

"These don't sound so creditable." Scoffed Smaug

She sniffed at that before continued nonetheless.

"I am the friend of bears and the guest of eagles. I am Ring-winner and Luck-wearer; and I am Barrel-rider. I'm…"

"Barrels?" Smaug interrupted her with a keen interest and Bilbo felt her heart plummet right to her toes. "Now that is interesting." The dragon rose once more to his full height, his red eyes flashing in the dimness.

"And what about you little dwarf friends? Where are they hiding?"

"Dw-dwarves?" She stuttered, terror catching in her throat.

 _Run all of you, if you can hear him, just run, this isn't worth it! We can't beat him. Run, save yourselves!_

 _Stall him Bilbo, for all that is good and green in this world, stall him!_

"No, no, no dwarves here. You've got that all wrong."

"Oh," the dragon chuckled a horrible chuckle from deep in his great chest, "I don't think so, barrel-rider. They sent you in here to do their dirty work while they sulk around in the passageways outside these halls."

"Nope." Bilbo shook her head, "you are mistaken, O Smaug the Unassessably Wealthy."

"Do not take me for a fool, thief," the dragon sneered, "I know the smell and taste of dwarf. No one better. And I can smell the stench of dwarf all over you though you are no dwarf yourself." Bilbo took no comfort at all over the dragon admittance that he had no idea what kind of creature she was.

"It is the gold." Smaug continued with a low snarl, "They are drawn to treasures like flies to a corpse."

"That's not it at all!" Bilbo snapped before pressing her hands to her mouth but Smaug appeared not to have heard her as he continued, his snarl gradually growing into a furious roar.

"Did you think I did not know this day would come? When a pack of snivelling dwarves would come crawling back to the mountain?" The dragon let out a massive blech of flames in her general direction, causing Bilbo to throw herself bodily upon the golden coin mountain.

"So what is the plan thief?" Smaug hissed, his eyes searching for her in the gloom, "For you to steal the gold bit by bit while the dwarves skulk outside as you do all the dangerous work and get what you can when you believe I am not looking? Will you get a fair share I wonder of however much you have managed to steal? Doubtful, these are dwarves after all. And then what I wonder?" the dragon seemed to have calmed himself down enough to become thoughtful, and possibly more dangerously, amused.

"You seem like an intelligent being, despite the company you keep, you must have realised that it would take a matter of a hundred years for you to steal even a quarter of the gold within this hall. And then what? Not much use on the mountain-side? Not much use in the wastelands beyond the mountain either." The dragon let out a barking laugh. "Bless me, had you never thought of the catch? You were promised a share of the gold within this hall I presume otherwise why else would you be here? But what about delivery? What about cartage? What about armed guards and tolls?"

"I already told you," Bilbo snapped furiously, stamping her foot in frustration, "that's not it at all! It was not the gold alone that brought us here."

"Ha!" Smaug smirked, "So you are admitting to there being an 'us'. Why not go a step further and admit the full number. I like to count as I feast."

Bilbo crossed her arms against her chest, her blood boiling and it took every measure of herself control to speak calmly and not scream at the monster.

"I tell you," She said firmly as her whole body shook with rage, "that gold was only an afterthought with us. We came over hill and under hill, by wave and by wind, for _Revenge_. Surely, O Smaug the Terrible, you must realise that your success has made you some bitter enemies?"

The dragon let out a great and terrible laugh that echoed horribly around the massive chamber, causing mountains of gold to tumble and roll.

" _Revenge!_ " The dragon roared with laughter, "Revenge! The King under the Mountain is _dead_. I took his throne with ease and ate his people like a wolf among sheep. What kin of his who escaped me that day have long since met their demise by the hands of others and are no threat to me."

Despite her growing fear, Bilbo couldn't help but smile smugly at the thought of Thorin, of Fili and Kili and their mother, all of the line of Durin, all alive and all strong. She would do everything in her power to make sure Smaug rued the day that he thought he could count out the line of Durin.

"I kill where I wish," The dragon continued to boast, his chest thrust out proudly and making the missing scale right over his heart all the more obvious to even those who possessed poorly sight. "When I wish. My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws like spears, the shook of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath is death!"

 _You are rather full of yourself aren't you_ , Bilbo thought rather hysterically feeling ill right to her gut.

It took her a moment to realise that Smaug had quite finished his boasting and had fallen into a thoughtful silence that was even worse than when he was roaring for there was no way of knowing what he might do next.

He seemed to be smelling the air and Bilbo's hands clenched by her side.

"I know this scent." He rumpled low in his chest, "I have smelt it once before. It covers you, from head to toe though it is not you who I know the scent from." He let out a small growl of recognition, "The Durin brat. The one now known as Oakenshield."

"How do you…" Bilbo whispered but the dragon appeared to be lost in his own furious thoughts.

"It must be him, for there is no one else." The glowing red eyes swivelled back in her direction. "It was he who sent you. That filthy dwarven usurper! He sent you in here for the Arkenstone, didn't he?"

Her fingers immediately inched towards the secret pocket of her coat, where the Arkenstone sat, safe and sound.

"No, no, no." She shook her head fiercely, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't bother denying it." Smaug snarled, "It is his scent that covers you and I can smell his movements within the passages, along with others. He has come for Arkenstone to try and reclaim his kingdom, to rally an army to fight me. _Me_! As if he has not learnt already of the power of my fire and claws." The growl was furious and yet also almost pleased.

"You have been used, thief in the shadows." The dragon slunk his head slowly in her general direction, which was bad for multiple reasons; one with his head so low, the black mark was unreachable, and two, well, having a dragon so close to you was absolutely terrifying.

"You were only ever a means to an end. The coward Oakenshield has weighed the value of your life and found it worth nothing."

Bilbo swallowed, feeling a burning sensation grow within her chest with each word the foul creature spoke.

"No, you're wrong." She forced herself to speak without a tremble to her voice, "You know nothing about Thorin! And certainly nothing about _me_!"

"Is that so?" The dragon sounded almost intrigued, "And you know him so well do you? Well," He chuckled then, low and deep in his chest, "clearly in one way you do. Do you truly believe you will be able to save him, little thief? From the sickness that has rotted its way down his family line? I am almost tempted to allow you to find the stone, to take it to Oakenshield, just so you might watch him suffer. To watch as it destroys him, as it corrupts his heart and drives him mad." The dragon threw back his head with a bark of laughter, "You will not save him, little thief and in the end, he will be your death."

"No," she shook her head, "again, you are very wrong. You've slept for quite some time O Smaug the Tyrannical! Things have changed since you last flew outside this mountain. And much that wasn't known is now common knowledge. And that which was once lost has now been found and returned to its rightful owner! The truth about your weakness is now a well-known fact!"

She didn't know if the company had been waiting for her to give some kind of sign, or if they had simply just decided to try and shoot at that very moment, but the next thing she knew was Smaug was reeling backwards with a shrieking roar, an black arrow piecing under the scale just on the edge of the Black Mark.

"AGAIN!" Bilbo screamed as she made to dash back up the stairs as the dragon roared, body and tail smashing against pillars and the hall's roof, flames bursting from his huge black mouth, heating up the air to an almost suffocating temperature.

Another black arrow was shot, and though it completely missed hitting Smaug in his chest, it did manage to nail him straight in his left eye, which only caused the dragon to shriek louder with ever increasing pain and fury.

She screamed when Smaug blew a wave of fire in her direction just as she had reached the doorway that might lead her to safety, her legs frozen with fear. A pair of strong arms caught her around the waist and hurtled her bodily into the corridor, rolling them out of the way of the flames that licked the air above their heads.

"Stupid." Thorin was growling as he held her tightly against him, his body shaking with adrenaline and fear, "Mahal, you are so stupid!"

"Am not." Bilbo cough, wiping slight singed hair from her sweaty face.

Thorin looked at her with wild eyes.

"You got into a battle of wits with a _dragon_!" He growled as said dragon smashed down another pillar near to where they were.

Thorin caught hold of her hand and hurtle her to her feet and started dragging her up a flight of stairs.

"I think I did rather well, all things considered." Bilbo choked, tears rolling down her cheeks unchecked. "I brought you all time. And it was me he was after… at least at first. It seemed like the smart thing to do."

Thorin pulled up short, swing around to face her, his expression furious.

"Smart? Smart?" He bellowed, "You put yourself willing into danger! You…" he seemed to at a loss for words.

"Wouldn't be the first time." She squeaked thinking about all the dangerous situations she had put herself into, some rather more willingly than others. Prime example was her running into save Thorin from getting beheaded by one of Azog minions. Yes, she might not have thought the whole thing through, but she had been more than willing to put herself into danger if it meant possibly saving Thorin.

Thorin started swearing lowly in dwarvish.

"I could have lost you." He finally muttered his voice hoarse with barely controlled emotions.

Bilbo bit down upon her lower lip.

"But I'm alright." She forced herself to smile reassuringly back at him, "I'm fine, honest." He reached out and stroked the side of her face before gently pressing his forehead against her own.

"When this is over," he muttered, "you and I are going to have a long conversation about the times that bravery falls into the category of stupidity."

"Ha," Bilbo snorted, "I like that. Shall I have similar conversation with you about the exact same thing, Mr-run-straights-for-Azog-even-though-he's-mounted-upon-a-Warg-and-got-knocked-down-immediately?"

"That," Thorin smiled despite himself, "is a low blow."

"Still happened." Bilbo retorted softly.

He kissed her softly, desperate to convey all the terror he had felt for her during the entire time she had a battle of words with Smaug.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled against his lips, "I'm sorry for scaring you."

"You would still do it again wouldn't you?" Thorin sighed

"In a heartbeat, if I thought it would give you all half a chance."

Thorin sighed again, before catching up her hand only to be almost over-run by dwarves barrelling down the stairs at full speed, fire chasing after them.

"What…" Bilbo squeaked before she was being dragged along with the flow, pulled into another corridor and running madly.

"What… happened?" Thorin hissed when they all came to a wheezing stop in a stone chamber, all fighting to catch their breath.

"Sor-sorry Uncle." Kili said, his head hung low, holding tightly onto his right arm that seemed to be smoking and causing him a great deal of pain. Fili stood protectively by his younger brother's side, his face black with soot. "I tried, but… Smaug figure out where we were shooting from and flame us. The Wind Lance is gone…"

"And you're hurt." Thorin growled marching forward along with Oin who was pulling ointments from his bag.

"Not badly." Kili insisted before letting out a low hiss of pain as Oin caught up his arm and start cutting through the burnt leather and wool.

Bilbo winced as she stared at the raised and angry red skin that Oin was freeing from Kili's clothing.

"I've seen worse." Oin rumpled as he started smearing the ointment after ointment upon the burnt flesh. "But still ain't good." He glanced up at Thorin who was watching closely, "Even if we still had the Wind Lance tha lad wouldn't be able to shoot."

"No," Kili insisted his eyes wide with panic and desperation, "Honestly, I'm fine. I…"

"Kili," Thorin said in a low voice, his expression gentle, "it's fine. You did well. The beast is blind in one eye and you landed a good blow to his weak spot."

"I didn't kill him though." Kili said softly, his head hanging lower in distress, Fili squeezing his uninjured shoulder firmly.

"Ya done a good deal more damage to him than anyone else ever has." Dwalin barked, "Don't go loosing heart now. We knew tha risks, and we took them."

"What now?" Bilbo asked in a small voice. This was all her fault, she had led them to their doom because she had been certain, so certain that her idea would work.

"Oi, don't you go getting all upset either!" Dwalin grunted, flicking her lightly in the forehead. He looked at Thorin whose face, despite its deathly grey pallor that it had gained since their burglar had taken it into her head that it would be a good idea to try and match wits with a dragon, looked thoughtful.

"Ya wanna try that mad plan ya came up with years back, don't ya?" Dwalin asked his king, who looked at him with an almost mad gleam to his bright sapphire blue eyes.

All eyes of the company were upon them now, looking back and forth.

"You mean, we're not gonna try and lead Smaug to Dain?" Fili asked slowly, his head tilted to one side in confusion, "They have the Wind-Lances set up and ready, they could…"

"He may not leave this mountain with how hurt he is." Thorin replied, "And not with us still running around it." He looked back at Dwalin, "We make for the forges."

"He'll see us," Gloin pointed out in frustration, "sure as death."

"That's rather the point." Dwalin snorted, "or least, for him to see some of us." To which Thorin nodded.

"We split up."

"What?" Bilbo hissed, "Thorin, we can't…

"Thorin, we'll never make it." Balin continued where she was unable to.

"And if we stay together, we most definitely won't. If we split up," Thorin winced as he spoke, "some of us might…"

"Thorin…"

Thorin shot her a glance, begging her to simply listen to what he had to say, before continuing. "Lead him to the forges. We kill the dragon. If this is to end in fire, then we shall all burn together."

His eyes were like blue flames as he looked at the company who one by one slowly nodded their heads in agreement. Bilbo did so last, terror choking her words and even when Thorin took hold of her hand and started pulling her along, onto a bridge – that had no railing. If they somehow, by some miracle survived this, she was going to put all her treasure towards installing railings on each and every bridge, stairwell and landing that was in Erebor without them – that crossed a seemingly bottomless abyss.

"Can you…" Thorin turned to her, but when he saw where she was looking and his own eyes followed hers, he saw his questioned didn't need answering, the giant lizard, blood pouring from his left eye socket was stalking towards them, half jumping from stone structure to stone platform, his one good eye burning upon them.

"You-will-BURN!" The dragon roared, flames licking his lips.

Thorin tugged her along just as the sounds of Ri brother started bellowing from another bridge, just to Smaug's blind left.

"Oi, ya ugly beast!" Nori roared, "Over here!"

"Nah, over here you great nasty bastard!" Bofur bellowed from where he and his family were running a long another bridge behind Smaug.

Smaug head swivelled around, trying to figure out just how many dwarves he had infesting his home, and if more were armed with portable Wind-Lances. He would kill them all, burn them to a crisp and then eat the whole.

He would save the thief though. He would let her live, and have her watch as he devoured her companions. He would leave Oakenshield for last, of course, for he could smell her all over the dwarf as keenly as he could smell Oakenshield upon her.

And something else…

Smaug smirked, despite his great rage and pain. For he had smelt something else that was interesting about the little thief. A tiny life grew within her, newly started, no more than maybe a month or so in growth at most.

He would let her live long enough to birth to her Durin's brat and then… and then…

He snarled with renewed wickedness and determination.

She and Oakenshield might have escaped him now, but he would find them, oh yes, he would find them…

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So obviously, bits and pieces in this chapter have been taken from the book and DOS, but have been tweaked a little by yours truly. It was a fun chapter to write. Smaug is a fun villain, for he is terrifying as he is clever. I am going to make him suffer quite a bit more than he did in the book and movies, which I hope he will forgive me for.

Next chapter I admit will be following some of the plot elements from DOS, but has been tweaked by me so its not exactly the same.

Next chapter will be posted next weekend, unless I get a good amount of requests for a Wednesday update. Otherwise, see you all either Saturday or Sunday.

Hope you are all having a nice weekend and I wish you all a lovely week.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Bilbo lost track of which corridors she followed Balin and Thorin down, only able to fully concentrate on her breathing, trying to ignore the painful stich at her side and forced herself to focus solely on the sweaty warmth of Thorin's hand wrapped tightly around hers.

She was so focused upon those three things that she didn't even notice when Balin suddenly ducked into a side corridor until he gave a frantic yell after them as Thorin continued forward.

"Thorin!" Balin yelled frantically from behind them as she and Thorin exited the corridor into a long, tall hall, "It's this way! This way!"

They skidded to a stop, Bilbo crashing into Thorin's back and almost falling to the ground as she bounced back, with only Thorin's death grip upon her hand keeping her upright.

A hand rubbing her cheek, she looked back at Balin who was hanging out the corridor they had just exited, his old face white with fear.

And she could see why…

"Thorin…" her voice was no more than a pathetic whimper as the ground shook as Smaug lumbered towards them from the other end of the hall.

"Thorin." She tugged on his hand, her heart pounding as she stared at the almost blank look that made up Thorin's expression as he stared at Smaug.

"Thorin, please…."

"Go to Balin." Thorin said, letting go of her hand and shoving her back the way they had come.

She was surprised when she found herself crashing into Balin's warm body and that the old dwarf was pulling her back towards the corridor.

"No, Balin!" She squeaked as she was pulled away from Thorin, "What are you doing? THORIN?!"

"Follow Balin." He yelled not even looking at her.

Smaug snarled deep within his throat as his chest glowed a firey red, flames licking at his lips.

" _THORIN_!" She screamed as Balin pulled her into the corridor just in time as Smaug unleashed a barrage of fire down the hall, straight at Thorin.

"No, no, no, Balin!" She thump her fists against Balin's chest, "Balin, let go! I've got… we've got to go back! We have to…"

"Come on lass," Balin ignored her struggles and easily dragged her down the side passage he had initially taken. "We need to go on."

"But, but… _Thorin_!?"

"Aye, Lass, I know." Balin looked back at her with unshed tears and Bilbo pressed a hand over her mouth to try and smother the sobs that were choking within her chest.

In a grief filled daze she let Balin pull her along, her mind chanting over and over again, _he's not dead. He can't be. He can't be dead!_

"Thorin!" Balin called out suddenly after a period of time was spent running in a panicked silence. Bilbo's head snapped up and stared in unspeakable relief at Thorin standing with Dwalin, looking a little worse for wear, his clothes covered in soot and slightly smoking, but alive! Alive!

They and the rest of the company were standing in front of what Bilbo could only describe as a line of massive furnaces, each at least ten yards high.

 _This must be the forge_ , she thought briefly before deciding she didn't care, not a wit, she just had to get to her majestic idiot and scream at him for being such a bastard and scaring her like that.

"Bastard." She wailed as she threw herself bodily into Thorin's arms, tears rolling furiously down her cheeks.

"Now you know how I felt when you took into your head to try and match wits with a dragon." Thorin replied as he rubbed her back.

"I had some idea what I was doing!" She thumped his chest with her tiny fists, doing absolutely no harm to him whatsoever, " _You_ just got yourself into that situation because of your bad sense of direction and not looking where you were going!"

Thorin gave her a dour expression while the company let out a series of weak laughter.

"The plans not going to work." Dwalin rumbled grimly bring them all back firmly to the present and their current situation. "These furnaces are stone cold."

"He's right," Balin agreed softly, "There no fire hot enough to set them ablaze."

 _Except for maybe a dragon_ , Bilbo thought as she twisted her head to look up at her dwarf to see if yes, that was indeed his plan. He met her eyes without hesitation and grinned slightly when he saw that she knew exactly what he was thinking.

"You're mad! Utterly and completely mad." Bilbo muttered shaking her head before pressing her face into her hands.

"And yet you love me." Thorin replied with far too much cheer and mischief to his tone.

He released her from his embrace as he moved into the direction where the ground was starting to shake because of an approaching raging dragon, yelling at the top of his lungs as he walked.

"I did not look to see you so easily outwitted." Thorin yelled as he stood between huge floor to ceiling pillars that lined one end of the forge as the huge shape of Smaug appeared from down a massive hall on the other side of the pillars.

"You have grown slow and fat in your dotage." Thorin continued to taunt while the company moved cautiously to stand with him each taking a pillar because while they hadn't been told Thorin's plan, they had more or less worked it out for themselves.

Smaug snarled at Thorin with almost uncontrollable anger.

"Slug." Thorin sneered before leaping behind his pillar, shooting Bilbo an almost insane grin – she was going to yell at him for hours after this if they made it out of this alive – as Smaug let out a loud roar of fury and unleashed his flames.

Bilbo couldn't help but scream in terror as the wave of flames blasted past the pillar she was hiding behind, her hands wrapped around her face to try and protect it from the unbearable heat scorching past.

It seemed like an age before the flames ceased and Bilbo was able to breathe something other than heat that scorched her lungs. Her first gasps of air was smoke and burnt her lungs almost as badly as when she was trying to breathe during the firestorm.

She cough and gagged for air, as strong hands caught her arm and started pulling her away from her pillar, just in time for her to hear Smaug slam his body against the stone.

Blinking threw watering eyes she could make out Smaug smashing himself against the line of stone pillars, who after the second crash were already starting to crumble under the weight of Smaug's attack.

"Bombur!" Thorin was roaring nearby. "Get those bellows working! Go!"

She watch as the large dwarf nodded before he threw himself onto a large metal chain that was hanging down beside one of the newly fully lit furnace.

"Billa?" Thorin was at her side now, taking her from Bofur who was running to help others members of the company with tasks that they all seemed to instinctively know needed to be done for this plan to work.

"What can I…" She cough a few times, before trying again. "Tell me what I can do to help?"

She watched him hesitate, his eyes shifting back to the furious dragon still fighting to get past the pillars and kill them all.

"Do you see that lever?" He asked, turning to point her in the direction of a platform, well off the ground and at the other end of the forge (and well away from the dragon), Bilbo could just make out a long metal lever atop of the platform.

"Yes…" she said slowly, not entirely sure if she was going to like this plan in the slightest.

"On my mark, pull it." He kissed her cheek before pushing her in the direction of her task.

"What-what's going to happen when I pull it?" She yelled as she broke into a run towards the platform.

"You'll see." Thorin called back as a promise.

"Bastard!" She chanted under her breath, "Bastard, bastard, bastard!"

She could hear Thorin yelling out other orders, but with everything else that was happening, she didn't know what was happening except for what she had to do for her own task.

She almost tripped up the steps of the platform the lever was on when Smaug finally crashed through the pillars, sending large junks of rocks and stone dusk everywhere.

She clambered up the stairs on all fours, keeping as low as she could so as to not be seen, though she was on Smaug's left so maybe luck would be on her side.

She wasn't holding her breath.

She reached the platform panting, coming face to face with a series of stone dwarven faces with large open mouths that seemed to have tunnels leading from the opening…

She frowned at them for a moment in confusion before a vague idea rolled into her head as to what they might be used for.

"BILLA!"

She jumped at Thorin's frighten yell, and stumbled around to find Smaug, despite her being in his blind spot was lumbering towards her.

She back up against the stone column the lever was sticking out from.

"I was going to leave you til last, so that you might watch your friends die," Smaug snarled as he crept closer and closer to her, "but there is no reason to wait as Oakenshield is here and watching himself. And he can watch you _both_ burn!"

A frighten little whimper escaped her trembling lips.

"NOW BILLA!" She could hear Thorin roaring, his voice desperate and terrified. "NOW!"

 _Now? Now what? Now to die. No… no_ , she forced herself to look away from the growing light burning within Smaug's chest to look to her above her at the lever.

"BILLA!"

She leapt up and snatched hold of lever's held, putting all her weight into dragging it down. A roaring sound like a dozen powerful waterfalls erupted from all around and suddenly water was exploding from the open mouths of the stone dwarves.

The little yelping noise Smaug made when he got a mouth full of water caused Bilbo to let out a little hysterical laugh before she was half sliding, half clambering back down the stairs of the platform, running straight for Thorin who grabbed her into his arms before pulling her into a stone alcove where they both watched as Smaug got hit over and over again with torrents of freezing water, his chest now entirely black as the flames within him were momentarily extinguished.

All around them were also the sounds of the forge large machinery slowly stirring into life.

"Thorin?" Bilbo whispered as Thorin let out a ragged breath. He stroked her cheek, laying his forehead against hers.

"Come," He said sounding breathless, "we need to move." He caught hold of her hand and squeezed it. "I would… I would ask you to stay close to me, but…" he closed his eyes briefly, "I fear that would only result in your death."

"He wants my death just as much as he wants yours." She licked her chapped dry lips nervously as she gave him a small smile, "I won't leave you. If this is to end in fire, then we shall all burn together."

Thorin sighed heavily through his nose, before leaning down quickly to kiss her lips.

"A day in the not so distant future, I'm going to make you my wife." Bilbo let out a small hysterical laugh before hand in hand they stepped out from their hiding spot. "Follow me, and when I say run, run."

The water had finally stopped flowing and Smaug was struggling to regain his feet, hissing and snarling as he swung his great head around, searching with his good eye for the dwarves who had caused him so much pain.

His nostrils flared at the intertwined scent, his head swing around, spying the dwarf and the little thief creature walking hand in hand in his general direction, seemingly unafraid. He would remind them of why they should be afraid.

He snarled deep in his throat as he started to stalk towards them.

He smirked when he saw the little thief start to shake at Oakenshield's side, but she did not leave him, despite her fear, she stayed rooted to the dwarf's side.

Fear, only because of fear that had her frozen in place, for why else would she remain so firmly at his side?

He had planned to leave them both til last but why pass up the opportunity when it so willingly presented itself.

With an ever growing smirk he waited for the flames to build within his chest, though it was slower than it would be usually due his dosing in water. He would make them suffer for that.

He continued to stalk towards them as he waited for his fire breath to return, and if it did not by the time he reached them, then swallowing them both whole was always an option.

Something small but solid collided and broke against the side of his head and suddenly his good eyes was as blinded as his left. Two more solid object broke against the scales just below his eyes and he screeched with frustration at his lose of sight and the stinging sensation in his right eye.

And then just as he regaining his sight, lumps of heavy rocks were falling upon his head and shoulders, sending him reeling to the stone floor as the howl of fury and anguish.

"Come." Thorin pulled Bilbo away from the carnage that was Smaug getting helpless tangled within the convey belt that had just been dropped upon his head after being cut down by Gloin.

"I don't know what the plan is," Bilbo wheezed, "but it appears to be going well!"

Thorin let out a barking laugh as they continued to run towards the furnaces.

"You haven't seen anything yet." He called back, giving her manic sort of grin. Though he did pause for a moment, his face turning hesitant as he stared at her.

"Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it. Just tell me what you need." Bilbo said and Thorin sighed.

"I'm putting you in such danger."

"I chose this. Now, what do you need?"

He told her as they came to a chain next to a boiling furnace.

"I am asking too much of you. Of all of you!" Thorin growled to himself, his eyes looking over her shoulder to Smaug who was finally succeeding in untangling himself from the convey belt cables.

"It's fine. It's fine." She smiled at him bravely. "He will follow me. Tell me where I must go." She can hear the dwarves yelling from somewhere nearby, calling to Thorin that they are ready.

"Follow the company's voices, they will lead you to the Gallery of the Kings. That is where we must lead him to too."

"Right." She nodded, "Stay safe."

"And you." He replied and with that, he pulled hard upon the chain by the furnace and Bilbo watched in wonder as molten gold poured thickly from the gate Thorin had just opened, flowing into wide long troughs dung into the floor of the forge.

"Lead him to the Gallery of the Kings." Thorin roared at the top of his lungs before he nodded for Bilbo to run.

She took to a sprint in the general direction that Thorin had pointed her, she could hear frighten yells behind her for her to look out but she did not look behind, she knew what was behind her, she just had to trust that whatever Thorin had planned would work well before she got gobbled up by a very angry dragon.

She ran through an opening into a long hall that stood outside of the forge, wincing as she heard a loud crash and the sound of tearing fabric behind her, but she kept on running, refusing to stop until a thick, heavy length of cloth fell over her head and sent her sprawling to the floor of the hall.

The ground shook violently the moment Smaug landed upon the stone floor only a little ways from where she lay beneath the heavy cloth, cautiously peering out from beneath it, watching as Smaug stomped around the seemingly empty hall, snarling cruelly under his breath.

Bilbo could only summon a small degree of satisfaction when she saw the dragon did not look so magnificent now, not with his bloody eye and his scales appearing dull in colour, for Bilbo was understanding that by hurting Smaug as they had, instead of killing him with one shot, they had simply made him all the more dangerous.

"You think you could deceive me, Barrel-rider?" Smaug snarled as he glared down at her from his great height.

"You have come from Lake-Town. There is – is some sordid scheme hatched between these filthy dwarves and those miserable tub-trading Lakemen. Those snivelling cowards with their longbows and black arrows." the dragon appeared to be speaking more to himself than to Bilbo, his voice filled with fury and-and fear, especially when he hissed out the words 'black arrows'. The dragon's bloody eyes twitched horridly around the long shaft still lodged firmly in it.

"Perhaps it is time I paid them a visit." The dragon snarled, twisting away from her to start lumbering down the hall.

"Oh… no…" Bilbo breathed her heart racing so fast within her chest, it hurt.

"This-this isn't their fault!" She screamed as she scrambled to her feet to chase after the dragon. "WAIT! You cannot go to Lake-Town!"

She was actually surprised when Smaug paused to look back at her, but only for a moment as the cruel smile that was sent her way made her feel cold all over.

"You care about them, do you?" He sounded utterly delighted by this information, his head swing around to come face to face with, pulling her run to staggered frighten halt, "Good. Then you can watch them die!

He turned away then and with true purpose to his stride down the hall towards a huge gateway.

 _Oh, oh, Thorin! Thorin whatever you have planned, do it now. Now!_

And as if he heard her very thoughts, both she and Smaug turned at the sound of Thorin's voice roaring from the other end of the huge hall.

"Here! You witless worm!"

It took a moment or so for Bilbo to finally spot Thorin standing upon of… something, a tall structure made of stone, clutching a chain tightly in his hand.

"You!" Smaug snarled, and immediately turned himself around to stalk towards Thorin.

"I am taking back what you have stolen." Thorin shouted

"You would take nothing from me, Dwarf." Smaug hissed as he stalked onwards towards Thorin, "I laid low your warriors of old. I instilled terror in the hearts of men. I am _King_ under the Mountain."

Bilbo's heart stuttered in terror as Smaug raised himself up to be level with Thorin on top on the structure.

"This is not your kingdom." Thorin snarled, all his hatred, all his rage towards this foul, terrible monster was evident with every word he spoke, in his every action he made.

"These are dwarf lands, this is dwarf gold, and we will have our revenge!" Thorin let out a great roar in dwarvish as he yanked upon a rope to his left and after a moment or two the whole structure he had been standing upon was systematically falling apart, Thorin catching hold of the chain and Bilbo watched heart in mouth as he swung himself to safety and out of range of Smaug's mouth.

Once she was certain that Thorin was safe, she turned her gaze back to what it was that had been hidden behind the stone structure only to find herself staring at massive stature of a dwarf lord made entirely out of gold.

Bilbo wasn't exactly proud to admit that her first thought upon seeing the massive gold statue was how incredibly tacky it looked. The stone statues outside Erebor and the ones within, yes, those were fine, they had their place, but one made out of solid gold? Was that particular dwarf lord trying to compensate for something?

It was thoughts such as these that were truly starting to make Bilbo question her own sanity.

She was just starting to question what exactly Thorin's plan had actually been when she noticed something odd about the gold statue… it did not appear to be as solid as she first believed. In fact, it looked like it was about to…

She jumped back as one of the statues eyes started to warp and for only seconds later gold liquid was exploding not just from the statues eyes but from all over its body before it totally collapsed upon itself.

Smaug reared backwards, stumbling over his own feet and tail to get away from the hot liquid that was exploding towards him, trying to consume him.

Bilbo watched, hand pressed over her mouth as the gold liquid quickly over took Smaug, despite his best attempts to escape, sending the dragon crashing to the stone floor and was quickly swallowed beneath the hot gold liquid.

She stood and stared, breath caught in her chest, waiting…

Was… was it over? Had they done it?

Was Smaug… was he… was he dead?

The hope inside of her turned quickly to ash when the liquid transformed from a rippling golden river to a sudden raging wave as Smaug flung himself forward, desperate to escape the raging heat and gold that was filling his nostrils, mouth and wounded eye.

Bilbo threw herself backwards against a pillar as Smaug raged passed her, screaming out in hatred and pain.

"REVENGE?" He screamed as he stamped across the hall, his body throwing hot gold everywhere he smashed into. "I will show you revenge!"

Without thought regarding anything else, Bilbo tore after the dragon.

"Bilbo!"

"Billa?!"

She ignored the calls and simply ran, following the golden trail left behind by Smaug, her heart racing as she heard the sounds of massive rocks being smashed and shoved aside by a furious and in pain dragon.

She ran out the main gate of Erebor and watched as Black Arrows were fired at Smaug from Dain's army as molten gold fell from the sky like rain, but Smaug, in his haste for vengeance, paid them little heed at all, his flight set in the direction of Lake-Town.

She clambered up what remained of a fallen stone statue, her knees finally giving into the terror and horror that had been building within her over the course of the day.

She pressed a hand to mouth as tears rolled hotly down her cheeks.

"What have we done?"

* * *

 **22/07/2018 Author's Note:** So this chapter was a quite a bit of a re-write of the Erebor sections of DOS.

I think it's safe to say here that this fic as a 'what-if' fic went down a path that was fine with 23 year old me - and that is who I'm writing this fic for - but 26 soon to be 27 year old me is kinda reading this fic and going 'yeah, it's ok, but it's not What-If-y enough!'.

So there is this story idea that I'm toying with - along with three other hobbit fics - which will take this What-If just that bit further. It's also quite a bit darker than this fic. I actually surprised myself as I was doing the outline for this other What-If fic at just how dark it got.

So yeah, I'm still of two minds on whether or not to write it, but it is an idea that I think is really cool and I wish I had thought of it before this fic was over a 100 pages long and I simply couldn't bear to re-write to slot in these other ideas, simply because it would utterly, utterly change the end-story, which we will be getting to shortly. But if you are interested in me writing this fic, please let me know.

I know this chapter wasn't very 'What-If', but with the next chapter the story will take, again, a very different route to the book/movies. And I'm really excited to get this next couple of chapters.

Thank you for reading and I hope you've had a lovely weekend and that you all have a great week :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Smaug twisted in the air, flecks of gold liquid cascading from his scales as he spiralled upwards into the night sky.

He snarled deep in his throat as his wings and armoured body were assaulted by barrage of arrows, Black Arrows, being shot from a ridge to the left of Erebor's main gate that he had just crashed through.

He deflected them easily enough, but still the metal of the arrows were made to bite into his hide and though they did not penetrate past his scales, each hit caused him pain. One arrow had in fact managed to puncture a hole in the membrane of his left wing.

He would come back for them!

Once he was finished with the pathetic water town, he would return and destroy each and every loathsome dwarf that had returned to his mountain!

His wings pumped powerfully through the air with ease, despite the decades that had passed by since he had last flown (and the newly torn hole in his left wing), he was making good time to the human town built upon the lake.

He paid little mind to the flock of Thrush who had taken to the air the moment he had charged through the broken gate of Erebor.

The flock were flying well below and just a little ahead of him towards Lake-Town in spite of it being well after night and they were not nocturnal birds.

Maybe if he had paid them a little mind, taken note of how strange it was that they were flying at night and with such purpose toward Lake-Town, he might have felt a little surge of concern as to where their path might lead, but he cared not for the small beings of the world. He wished only to cause chaos and death, to repay the people of Lake-Town for the pain he had suffered this day from the dwarves still infesting his mountain.

If he _had_ paid them mind, he might have also noticed several other unusual details regarding the town he flew towards; such as how dark the town appeared to be; no lantern lit in windows nor sentries walking the town's walkways.

And quiet.

It was so very, very quiet.

But Smaug only cared for his revenge and saw nothing else but his desire to make the world _burn_.

And so, the Thrush flew like they had never flown before, chirping anxiously to each other and calling warning for the one who still cared to understand their language.

 **888**

The streets of Lake-Town were empty, and silent as the grave. Only a few souls still sat in amongst the darken houses. Souls that belonged to the very brave or the very foolish.

Most of Lake-Town inhabitants were hiding upon the shoreline of the lake, using the cover of the trees and large rocks to hide themselves from prying eyes, wrapped in their warmest of clothes and blankets, for the risk of lightening even the smallest of fires was far too great.

Sitting in his dark house with only his assistant to keep him company, the Master of Lake-Town was regretting his decision to remain in Lake-Town while the rest of his people fled under the express wishes of Bard.

No one cared about his wishes!

Which had been that they all remain exactly where they were and for Bard to be thrown into prison for his crimes of usurpation against the Master.

He had been so close too! But then there had been an almighty crash that had echoed from the mountain and what citizens who had been on his side were quick to jump ship, following after the folk who had already left town the previous day. Even his own men had turned tail and run for the boats, the cowards!

And why stay himself, you may find yourself asking? Why, so that he could be there to prove them all wrong of course!

Only… only…

He and Alfrid peered out the window towards the mountain, where seconds ago, a shower of gold had exploded up into the sky above.

 _They were going to die!_ For there, hurtling towards them was a huge black shape!

Alfrid let out a high-pitch squeal of terror before running off to hide somewhere within the Master's house.

The Master could only remain by the window, frozen in fear, and possibly in need of a new pair of pants.

 **888**

Bard sat on the tower where the antique Wind Lance stood with ancient pride, a Black Arrow already mounted in the lance, the cold air whipping his hair and causing his fingers and hands to grow numb.

Bain was curled up on the other side of the tower, for despite Bard's best efforts to get the boy to go with his sisters and keep them safe, the boy had slipped back into town when no one was looking and kept himself hidden until only Bard, The Master, Alfrid and a few stubborn souls who refused to leave the town that they had lived their whole lives in. They had been born in this town and dammit, they would die in it too!

It was only once the town had become thoroughly deserted, with the last of the boats having left into for the lake shore in the light of dusk did Bard learn that Bain had stayed behind.

He had discovered his son trying to carry the last of the Black Arrows up to the tower.

He had almost had a heart attack when he saw the boy and he may have reacted far more harshly than he had meant to. He had yelled at Bain for a good long time before pulling the boy to him, hugging him close.

He was still angry with him and once this was all over his son would be cleaning every single fishing net and barrel in the town for months to come!

"Da!"

Bard was pulled from his thoughts by Bain's frighten cry.

He jumped to his feet and stared at the mountain where Bain was pointing.

For the last few hours, since just before sunset, the air had been filled with the sounds of crashes and stone's smashing against stone from within the mountain. If there had been any doubts about the dragon being still alive they were long gone now.

But now, now, a golden light was shooting up from the ruined gates of the mountain, shooting high up in the air, twisting upwards and showering the ground below with flecks of gold.

"Da… is that…" Bain whispered his eyes wide with fear.

Bard could only nod before jumping back towards the Wind Lance, his hand landing firmly upon the trigger.

"Get ready son." Bard replied, as he watched as the massive black shape stopped spinning in the air, hovering there for a moment before, with great speed and determination, start hurtling towards the town.

The air around his head was suddenly filled with a flock of Thrush, all fluttering about in a panic while one, his oldest friend dropped lightly upon his shoulder.

" _Look for the hollow of the left breast as he flies over."_

Bard swallowed and nodded, for this was the information that Mistress Baggins had given him, but he was glad all the same that it had been confirmed by another whom he trusted.

" _The dwarves were able to wound the dragon,"_ The old Thrush continued, with maybe a hint of hope to his old voice, _"they have blinded him in his left eye and have shot him once in his chest, just missing his weak spot. One shot, one shot should do it."_ The Thrush and his flock then flew away, heading for the forest on the other side of the lake, for they had done their part and now it was time for them to find a safe place.

"He's coming Da!" Bain cried.

"I see Bain, I see! Be ready to hand me more arrows, one shot might be all it takes but he is a mighty big beast with only a very small weak spot, and this is very poor light!"

Bain nodded and immediately flung himself down by the pile of Black Arrows, ready to hand his father one when needed.

 _Let us begin_ , Bard thought with gritted teeth as the terrible shape of Smaug came fully visible in the weak light of the half crescent moon glowing in the sky above.

Let this end, one way or another.

 **888**

 _Let us begin_ , Smaug snarled, fire burning within his belly as he flew above the floating town. He could smell fear in the air, though it was faint.

The people below had suspected he would come for them but didn't know when, so they were laying low and in the dark and praying he would pass them by, paying them no heed, he summarized with a snort.

He would make that fear grow until the air reeked of it, along with the smell fire, smoke and burning flesh.

He flew several circles above the town on silent wings, steadily flying closer and closer, wishing to see and hear the fear that would erupt from the town the moment he began his attack.

The fire burned pleasantly in his throat, building and building as he swooped forward, ready to reign terror upon the town below. The flames licked at his curled lips…

 _Twang!_

He jerked backwards in searing pain, agony erupting from his right nostril where a Black Arrow was now brutally lodged within.

He let out a furious bellow and landed with a crash upon the edge of the water town, his claws scratching at the metal shaft protruding from the end of his long snout.

The shaft snapped, leaving him with half the arrow still lodged within his nostril, his airways filling with blood, making his spit bloody fire and choke.

Another arrow hit the side of his head, just missing his right eye and blinding him completely.

He roared in uncontrollable fury, his head swivelling around to glare in direction the arrows where he was being shot from.

His heart gave an uneasy beat when he saw his old foe, the Wind Lance that had shot the infamous Black Arrow that destroyed the scale above his heart. And there, manning the Wind Lance was a scent he hated above all else, the blood of one who had caused him so much harm all those years ago.

He had sworn that he had made that human burn before he moved on to Erebor. He was certain, he was… wait, no the scent was different.

The human man working the Wind Lance was not the one who had almost killed him, but he was of that blood line.

And he wasn't alone… there was another of his own blood with him… son? Yes, father and son, standing together…. and would _die_ together.

"Who are you that would stand against me?" Smaug roared as he smashed his way across the pitiful town towards the tower the Wind Lance stood upon.

Another arrow whistled past him as the bowman gave him no answer. Smaug snarled and lunged forwarded, fire burning within his bloody mouth.

With one furious blast of flame, he destroyed the Wind Lance and the tower it had been mounted upon in moments, watching with satisfaction as it splintered and crumbled into the lake.

He hadn't however heard the sounds of human screaming. He had meant to make them suffer, not for them to die in one agonising swoop of flames.

When he thought he might have just killed them by accident, he heard the sounds of splashing before wet feet running upon wood.

He smiled.

 _Good_ , he purred, _so they had survived_.

He was not ready for them to be dead quite so soon.

With one ruined eyes and his nostrils still filled with blood, tracking the two humans down was a greater challenge than he would ever like to admit.

He smashed and burnt his way through the town which continued to be eerily quiet.

He had stumbled upon a few humans who he was quick to burn to a crisp as they made to run for boats, but not nearly enough for a town of this size.

Had they fled to the shores and forest on the other side of the lake?

No matter, if they had, he would give them no homes to return back to… if he gave them a chance to return at all!

It had been a long time since he had feasted upon the flesh of men. And if they had gone to the elves… well, he licked his lips in contemplation and hunger.

Out of the corner of his right eye, he spotted movement upon another tower, a bell tower he thinks and the sounds of frantic panicking.

"Da…"

Without hesitation he makes for the belltower, thoroughly amused by the sight before him.

The bowman's bow appeared to be broken clean in half and he seemed to be attempting to construct a makeshift bow, using the two broken halves of his old bow, fixed to two sides of the belltower, a bowstring pulled taunt between them.

What made it all the more amusing was it appeared the bowman was using his own son as a way of balancing and aiming the Black Arrow.

Smaug gave a huffing laugh, for surely this plan would never work. The human had missed hitting him when he had a proper Wind Lance at his disposal what chance did he have of hitting him with a makeshift one made from using his own child.

He let out a loud barking laugh, ignoring the pain that flared with his nostril and eye.

"Is that your child, Bowman?" He sneered as he stalked ever closer, the houses beneath his feet snapping and smashing in a delightful fashion, "You cannot save him from the fire. He will BURN!"

He moves forward slowly, delighting in the boy child's terror, who can't help but continually look over his shoulder back at him, despite the Bowman telling him to stay still.

"Tell me, _wretch_ ," He jeered, "How now shall you challenge me? You have nothing left, but your _DEATH_!"

He let out a terrific roar that fills the night air, causing the still standing houses to shake and those that already lay in ruins to crumble into the lake.

He picked up his pace, for as much as he would like to draw out the Bowman and his child's death, he also wants this to end. There was much for him to do, what with dwarves sneaking around his mountain and humans hiding in the forests on the foreshore.

He needed to remind them all of who exactly is the true King under the Mountain.

He reared back, his chest filled with flames, ready to burn the pathetic little bell tower along with the pathetic little water town, when…

The pain was instantaneous, erupting from in the centre of his heart and twisting like poison through his veins.

He paused in shock, unable to believe what was happening, because it could not be happening, it simply couldn't!

He flapped his wings desperately, forcing himself upwards and skywards, hoping to out fly the increasing, terrible pain within.

It was like a shard of ice had been shoved into his chest and he was slowly freezing from the inside out, the fire within him no match for the terrible frost that was smothering it.

He tried to scream but no sound came forth. He tried to keep on flying, but he was losing strength in his wings.

His body was refusing to respond, to caught up in the strange mix of pain and numbness until he felt nothing at all but death stealing his last breath, pulling it from him as he fell, fell like he had never fallen before, into the icy waters of the Lake, which engulfed him into its black depths with an almighty splash.

And that was the end of Smaug

* * *

 **29/07/2018 Author's Note:** Ding Dong the Dragon's dead!

So we're moving towards the third arc of this story, starting with next chapter.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you are all having a wonderful weekend and hope you all have a great week.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Bilbo had scrambled up a hill where an old, ruined dwarven guard's tower had once stood, clambering over crumbling walls and bits of roof in her desperation to see what might be happening with Smaug and his attack upon Lake-Town.

She pressed a hand over her mouth, tears dripping down her cheeks as she watched the dragon flying around the floating town that was now on fire.

 _Oh please, please, let them have gotten away! Bard said that they had started evacuating, but…_

"Bilbo!" She could hear dwarves calling her name, climbing up the ruined tower to stand with her.

"This is all my fault." She whispered through barely moving lips.

"No lass," Bofur reassured her quickly, other dwarves being quick to chime in too, "this isn't yer fault. None of this is."

"He's there because of me!" Bilbo screamed through her tears, "Because I thought I was _so_ clever to try and match wits with a dragon! Because of _me_ , he found out they helped us! They had nothing to do with this! He's only attacking them because I said 'Barrel-rider'!"

She buried her face into her hands and sobbed as if her heart was breaking, Bifur rubbing her back and for once was surprisingly gentle with his offered comfort.

Bilbo didn't know how long she sobbed, the swell of darkness boiled deep within her gut making her want to simply curl up on a ball and not move ever again.

She was pulled from her grief and self-loathing though by the startled cries from her dwarves.

"What was that?"

"What happened?"

"It fell!" Ori cried as Bilbo pulled her face from her hands, twisting her head to look in the direction of the Lake, her mouth dropping as she stared at the huge waves that were erupting from a specific spot in the water near to the half destroyed half burning town. "I saw it."

"Is he… is he dead? Is Smaug dead?" She ran to the edge of the tower, her finger nails biting into the cold rock.

All around her she could hear cheering from the dwarves around her.

"By my beard!" Gloin roared clapping his brother across the shoulder, "I think they're right! And look!" He threw his arm up as he pointed in the pre-dawn light as a flock of birds – _Ravens_ Bilbo thinks – flew towards Erebor, their caws echoing in the cool air. "The ravens of Erebor are returning to the mountain!"

"Aye!" Oin said, his old weary face twisting into a wide smile, "Word will spread. Before long every soul in Middle-Earth will know – The dragon is dead!"

More cheers exploded from the dwarves, yelling and laughing, clapping each other on the back and mussing up her hair while she hugged her arms around herself.

She was in a strange space of being elated over Smaug being finally gone and feeling sick, right to her gut.

She stared back at the burning town and felt a fresh stream of tears start rolling down her cheeks.

It was all her fault!

She turned, aching all over, away from the lake, from the cheering dwarves to look back at Erebor, frowning when she caught sight of Thorin – who she could not remember saying a word during the whole attack on Lake-Town – striding purposefully towards the mountain.

She hesitated for a moment before chasing after him.

"Thorin." She called as she stumbled down the rocky, broken stairs, stubbing her toes several times in her haste.

He stopped and turned slowly around to face her, causing her to pull up short when she saw his face.

She licked her lips anxiously as he stared at her without appearing to truly see her, his eyes seeming to look straight past her without care.

 _No, oh please no_ , she thought desperately as she forced herself to move to his side, her hand trembling as she lightly touched his arm.

Her touch seemed to spark something within him.

He blinked several times as he took in his surrounding, his expression turning to one of confusion as he tried to work out where he was and why he was out in the open.

"Billa?" He started softly before taking note of her tears, his eyes widening as he rubbed his thumb against her tear stain cheeks. "What is it?"

Something inside of her broke because he didn't… how did he not… how did none of them? It was all her fault! All those people in Lake-Town, dead, taken from the world forever by dragon fire. Their last moment's ones of terror and agony.

She burst into tears once again and threw herself into his arms.

He caught her easily, holding her firmly against his warmth as she sobbed heartbroken sobs into his chest, a hand gently rubbing her back as he tried to calm her.

"What is it?" She heard Bofur call down to them in concern, "She alright?"

"I…" She heard Thorin rumple in confusion, "She simply started crying."

"Lass," She felt a large hand – Bofur she thinks – comes to rest upon her shoulder, "Ya can't – ya can't blame yerself for what happened. It's not ya fault. It really ain't."

She only sobbed harder, her chest heaving and aching with the blackness within her wanting nothing better than to snatch the very breath from her lungs.

 _Stop it_ , her Took side scolded herself, _stop this nonsense right this moment! What are you doing, crying like you are!_

She tried to stop, honestly she did try, but the tears simply refused to cease flowing. Even when Dain and his generals came up to the watchtower, elated over Smaug's demise, her pathetic sobbing kept on until she had no tears left and she found herself suffering from an extremely bad case of the hiccups that hurt deep within her chest.

She was trembling all over by the time they went back into Erebor, fighting back waves of nausea and trying to fill her starving lungs with air.

She didn't pay the slightest bit of attention as to where she was being taken, only that when she finally stopped she was being gently pushed into something soft and warm.

The same softness and warmth was being wrapped around her as she fell into an uneasy slumber.

Her last thought was of the solid hand gently curled around her chilly one.

 **888**

Bilbo did not know how long she slept but when she finally woke, she didn't feel any better. In fact, with her pounding head, raw throat and churning stomach, she felt almost worse.

"How are you feeling?" A gruff voice whispered in the dim light of the chamber she was currently curled up in.

She twisted a little where she lay in what appeared to a kind of nest made up of many, many cloaks, to see Thorin sitting just next to her head.

He didn't look much better than she felt, with an unhealthy grey-ish tinge to his skin, though at least his eyes seemed to be focused and alert.

"Like I've fallen off another cliff." She mumbled as she struggled to sit up, trying not to upset her already unhappy tummy by making too many sudden movements.

She fell weakly backwards and was caught by Thorin who guided her to lean back against his shoulder.

"Sorry." She mumbled, feeling a small surge of embarrassment twist inside her chest.

"Whatever for?" Thorin grunted as he looped his arms around her waist.

"For… the watchtower. I just… something inside of me just…" She trailed off faintly as Thorin pressed a kiss to her temple.

"You have nothing to apologize for." He mumbled as he held her close.

"But I…"

"No," Thorin said firmly, "absolutely nothing. Think nothing of it."

She hesitated for a moment, feeling the guilt twist and burn within her as a few more tears slid down her cheeks.

She furiously brushed them aside as she looked at his face and took in his grey-ish skin.

"How are you?" She asked as she lightly touched his face, which felt cool to her warm fingers. Thorin pressed his cheek against her hand his eyes closing for a moment before he answered her in a quiet, uncertain tone.

"There were moments when I was… not well." He hesitated for a moment, his face turning distant with disgust and self-loathing, "I am… much more in control of my own mind at the moment. Worrying about you is apparently strong enough to break through the thrall of the gold-sickness." He kissed her temple again while Bilbo tried to figure out if this was a good thing or not so she changed the subject.

"How long have I been asleep?"

"Hmmm, maybe eight hours."

"Eight HOURS!" She tried to scramble out of the nest of cloaks.

"Shush." Thorin said as he carefully tighten his hold upon her waist. "It's fine. The rest of the company has been spending the time sleeping themselves."

"Not you though." She grumbled taking in the dark circles under his eyes.

Thorin simply shrugged.

"Where is Dain? And his army?" She asked after a moment of quiet.

"Last I saw, they were securing the front gate."

"Is that really a priority?" Bilbo asked not really seeing the point of worrying about fixing the front gate when there were far more pressing matters to think about, such as food supplies and a town having recently been destroyed by a furious dragon.

"Very soon all of Middle-Earth will hear that Smaug is dead and every manner of thief and war lord will converge upon this mountain. We must be ready for such threats."

"You," Bilbo groaned, "You cannot be serious?" She twisted around to look at his face and saw that he was indeed deathly serious.

"Oh," she mumbled weakly, "You are… blast. I rather thought getting back the mountain meant all would be well."

"There is a great deal of treasure within this mountain, Dear Heart." Thorin said, "And many who would do much to get their hands on even a tenth of it."

Bilbo's face flushed at the unexpected term of endearment, rubbing her cheek against his shoulder.

"Fine," She sighed. "So what else needs to be done before we, and that indescribable amount of wealth in Smaug's bedroom, feel safe and secure?"

Thorin let out a low chuckle at her words.

"A summons has been sent out to the other six dwarven kingdoms to come to Erebor and stand by their oath. They will come with armies and food provisions."

"But that will take time to organise." Bilbo mumbled and she felt Thorin shift uneasy.

"Yes."

"So all we can do is hold tight and hope for the best." She said softly.

"We can prepare" Thorin reassured her softly, "and by securing the main gate we are taking the first steps to fortifying the whole mountain from an attack."

"Alright," she said with a nodded and a thick swallow, "alright. But everything will be fine. Of course it will be." She went to say more but instead, she pursed her lips, determined not to tempt fate any further than she felt she already had.

"All will be well." Thorin agreed and kissed her nose, before moving to lightly press his lips against her. The kiss was gentle at first before it grew hungrier as she twisted herself in his arms into a more comfortable position against him, her arms looping around his neck.

She sighed into his kiss before letting out a small giggle as he started shifting the blankets in her nest so that he might curl into it with her.

"Sleep." Bilbo mumbled as she brushed some of his long hair from his face. "You should sleep."

He stared at her as she leant against his chest to look at him, a flash of momentary fear flickering in his dark blue eyes.

"I'm here." She smiled as she leant forward slightly to kiss his cheek. "You will not be alone."

Thorin closed his eyes with a small sigh, smiling as Bilbo buried herself against his side, her head tucked underneath his chin.

* * *

 **5/08/2018 Author's Note:** Short, filler chapter. We'll be moving towards more action in coming chapters. I just enjoy writing Bilbo\Thorin scenes, even when they are a little angst-y.

Thorin is obviously battling with his gold sickness which is going now going to move up a notch because the mountain (and all the gold in it) is technically all his now and he's going to have to watch himself more closely than ever to make sure he doesn'y fully succumb to the darkness and greed. And to make matters worse, Bilbo is now suffering from survivor's guilt and PTSD, so now the two of them are going to have to watch each other or they'll both buckle and break under the weight of their respective mental health. So yes, interesting times lay ahead.

Next chapter we're going to be spending with Bard and the folk of Lake-Town, with some special guests making an appearance. Even they weren't in the book and they had a far larger role in the movie/s than I necessarily wanted for them, especially given that the movies were meant to be about Dwarves... and a Hobbit. That's not going to happen in this fic, but they are going to make several appearances as I do like them as characters.

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend and I will see you all next Sunday with chapter 14.

Thanks for reading and as I'm sure you all know, comments and reviews are deeply appreciated.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Bard was beyond exhausted by the time he and Bain had done the rounds of their ruined, burning town in the search for survivors.

Unfortunately, as Bain had grumbled, the only survivors that they had managed to find were the Master of Lake-Town and Alfrid, who had hidden themselves within the Master's vault beneath his rapidly sinking house.

"I warned you!" The Master shrieked as they dragged him and Alfrid from the ruins of the house, both bedraggled and soaking wet, but otherwise untouched by flames or the general destruction of the town.

"Did I not warn you what would come of dealing with dwarves?! Look what they've done!" The Master waved a large arm around at the smouldering ruins of Lake-Town "They woke the dragon! And brought the apocalypse down upon our head!"

Bard rolled his eyes at the Master's wails.

Of course the Master would ignore the fact that he had been all too willing for the dwarves to return to their mountain and try to reclaim their gold. Of course he would try and deflect the blame of the destruction of their town away from him.

"The dragon is dead!" Bain was snapping at the Master in a desperate attempt to shut the older man up, wincing at Alfrid cries of "We're alive! We're alive but we're dead!" from where he was dragging himself along behind them.

"Da killed him!" Bain shot him a proud smile that Bard could only wearily return, feeling moments away from simply collapsing as all the adrenaline started leaving his body as he led the way to where his boat was moored.

 _If it hasn't been destroyed with everything else_ , Bard thought grimly as he took in burnt out shells of the only world he had ever known.

"Be that as it may," He heard the Master sniff in indignation behind him, "he was still the one who helped the dwarves…" Bard blocked out the Master's rant, with Alfrid chiming in here and there and instead allowed himself a moment of utter relief and joy when he saw his boat, safe and exactly where he had left it.

"Da!" Bain cried in delight at his side before he pounded over broken walkways to the dock and up and onto their boat, quickly checking it over for any leaks or other damages.

"Master." Bard gave the Master a small bow as Bain lower the gangplank for the Master and Alfrid.

The Master sniff again and wobbled his way awkwardly up the plank while Alfrid snivelled his way after him.

Bard, though glad as he was that he had found some survivors from the dragon's attack he couldn't help but wish that it hadn't been these two.

His head ached at the thought of all the problems these two were going to cause his people as they tried to survive the winter and rebuild their town.

 _The gold from the dwarves should at least speed up the process of rebuilding and making sure we are able to buy enough rations for the winter_ , he thought as he hopped up onto his boat's deck.

He looked back with a heavy heart at the ruins of Lake-Town as he sailed for the shore where the rest of the Lake-Town's population was still hiding.

 **888**

"DA!"

Bard's face broke into a wide grin as he saw Tilda and Sigrid barrelling down the shoreline to tackle both him and Bain in a back-breaking hug.

"Come here!" He pulled his youngest daughter into a hug as she clutched at him desperately while Sigrid curled against his side, Bain held close in her arms.

"It's alright." He said softly to all three of his children, who shook and sniff against him,

"It was Bard!" He jumped as Percy, one of Lake-Town's Gate porters, cried as he and a large crowd started to form along the Lake shore, "He killed the dragon! I saw it with my own eyes! He brought the beast down! He shot him dead, with a black arrow."

Bard's face burnt as the crowd around him and his family started to cheer loudly, clapping their hands and grinning at him with thanks and relief.

"You saved us all! Thank you!"

"I," The Master shouted over the cheering crowd, "of course, was the one who told him where to shoot. It was because of my direction and leadership that Bard was able to kill the beast at all!"

The Master's declaration was met with silence and stony glares.

"I told you," He ranted puffing out his chest and scowling disapprovingly at the crowd, "I told you all that no good would come of these dwarves, but did you listen? Did you?" He shook his head as if he were a disappointed teacher whose pupil had still not learned a valuable lesson, "And now, look what has happened? Look at our poor town! In ruins! And let us not forget who helped the dwarves into our town and..."

"Oh, shut it!" Hilda, the herbalist, cried looking at the Master in disgust, "We all know what you're really about. You do not care for us. You care only for our gold and saving your own skin."

The Master looked furious.

"That is entirely untrue. _I_ stayed in Lake-Town while you all fled!"

"Only because you didn't believe Bard's warning about the dragon!" Percy shouted.

"And he didn't want to leave our gold!" Hilda added her furious glare taking on an almost deadly quality now. "And where is that now? Halfway down the Anduin, I don't doubt!"

The Master spluttered when Bain nodded.

"That's about right!" Bain yelled before Bard could hush him, "When we pulled them free of the Master's home, his basement was flooding, all of our gold gone to the bottom of the lake!"

Grumbles and furious yells erupted from the crowd, as well as frighten and worried cries.

"What will we do?"

"We will not survive the winter!"

"Most of our supplies are gone, down to the bottom of the lake or burned!"

"No one will come trading with us til the spring and now they might not even come at all!"

The crowd start to converge upon the Master who let out a frighten little shriek as he was grabbed by rough hands that started yanking him towards a tree where someone had thrown a rope over a strong branch.

"Unhand me, you-you _peasants_! Don't you know who I am? I am the Master! Your Lord! You cannot treat me with such disrespect! I will have you all arrested! Braga! BRAGA!" He roared by the captain of his guard was hanging back, looking sheepish and uncomfortable, trying to remain below the notice of the townsfolk and maybe survive their wrath.

"To the tree with you!" A townsfolk roared with a cheer that others were quick to join.

"Hope that branch is strong enough." Another yelled and the crowd laughed while the Master whimpered pathetically.

"Enough!" Bard roared pushing his way through the angry crowd, "Enough of this! Let him go! Let him go now!"

He was surprised by how quickly he was listened to, for in a moment the Master was released with as stumble, still whimpering pitifully.

"Look around you!" Bard continued as he seemed to have the attention of the whole town, "Have you not had your fill of death?"

They had been lucky to have only lost a handful of the whole population of Lake-Town, but still those few who had died, their deaths should not be so easily forgotten and disregarded.

And if they started turning on themselves as they already were, they would most definitely not survive the winter.

"Aye!" He jumped when Alfrid appeared as his elbow, nodding his head sagely. Bard quickly shoved him aside.

"Winter is upon us; we must look to our own, to the sick and the helpless." He took a deep breath, trying to steady his breathing for the nerves of what he was doing, commanding a town of people was starting to catch up to him, "Those of you who can stand, help those who cannot. And those of you who have the strength… follow me. We must salvage what we can before the lake's waters take everything for itself."

"What then?" Hilda asked her voice strong but her eyes were filled with worry and fear as the crowd around him started to disperse to get to work on salvaging what could be salvaged from the town. "What do we do then?"

"We find shelter." Bard replied, his gaze turning to the mountain, wondering if the dwarves had survived their meeting with the beast. He also wondered after the army that Mistress Bilbo had said had accompanied her and her company to the mountain. Had they survived or had the dragon killed them too?

He was pulled from his thoughts, by a soft gasp from Sigrid and a tugging on his arm from Tilda.

"Hmmm," he turned to his girls, "what is it?"

He looked in surprise as two elves, fully armed as they strode silently from the forest towards them, early morning sunlight dancing off their hair.

"Ah…" He simply stared at the two as they walked purposefully towards him. One was male, with long pale blonde hair while the other elf was female and quite a bit shorter than her male elf companion, her vibrant red hair blowing gently in the cool morning breeze.

"We saw the tell-tale signs that the dragon flew the air once more last night." The male elf started after a slight incline of his head as means of greeting. "But," his startling blue eyes looked Bard up and down, "he flies no longer?"

"That's right!" Tilda smiled, her young face filled with awe as she stared at the elves, "Da killed him." Her sweet smile turned back to him and he ran a fond hand over her hair.

The elves looked at each other, before nodding.

"Where will you go?" the male elf asked as he looked sombrely towards the burning ruins of Lake-Town.

Bard hesitated as he glanced back towards the mountain.

"The mountain!" He fought back a groan as Alfrid once more appeared at his elbow. With the Master's apparent fall from grace was the loathsome little man now seemed to be trying to attach himself onto Bard?

"You are a genius, sir. We can take refuge inside the mountain. It might smell a bit of dragon… nothing the women can't clean up. It will be safe and warm and dry, full of stores, bedding, clothing…" Alfrid looked nonchalantly around him, "the odd bit of gold."

Bard felt himself immediately scowl at the mention of the gold.

"What gold there is in that mountain is cursed!" He snapped firmly, giving Alfrid a warning look when the other man opened his mouth to protest, "We only take what was promised to us… only what we need to rebuild our lives."

Alfrid glowered at him for a moment before scuttling away, presumably to report back to the Master of Lake-town.

 _If he even is still the Master_ , Bard thought before shaking his head.

"News of the death of Smaug," Bard jumped when the pale elf man spoke again, his tone quiet and serious, "will spread through the lands."

Bard pinched his nose, nodding.

"Aye."

"Others will now look to the mountain… for its wealth, or its position." The red haired elf maiden face twisted with concern as she looked to the mountain also.

"Do you know something we do not?" Bard asked the elves. The red haired elf maid shook her head while her companion looked troubled, his eyes drifting North.

"Nothing for certain." The elf man replied, "It's what I fear may come."

"Have you heard anything from the dwarves?" The red hair elf asked unexpectedly her hands clenched into fists at her side.

"Tauriel." Her companion sighed heavily but she did not look away from Bard, who shifted uncomfortably under the immortal being's gaze.

"No, I haven't." He admitted and was surprised by just how much that worried him. "Their Halfling has sent no word to us."

"Halfling?" Both elves looked at him questioningly. Bard rather thought they looked confused, but that couldn't be right. Elves were all knowing, were they not? And he was fairly certain that there had been some kind of conflict that had occurred between the company of Thorin and the elves of the Woodland Realm, given the rather beaten up state of the barrels when he had first met the company.

"Hobbit, Da." Tilda butted in, looking up at him with a pout, "Bilbo is a hobbit. She does not like being called a 'halfling', 'member?"

"Right, yes," He stroked Tilda's hair and smiled apologetically at the elves, "The dwarfs' hobbit has been sending me word regarding the dwarves plans for reclaiming the mountain. It was she who told me about the dragon's weak spot, but… I haven't heard anything from her since before the Dragon attacked." He did his best to ignore the small worried ache in his chest, but it was difficult as he had been rather fond of the hobbit lass, despite the trouble her dwarves caused him and his town.

The elves looked at each other once more before the pale haired elf simply nodded.

Bard and his children watched as the elves ducked away once more into the tree line.

He turned back to the shoreline, at his wounded and homeless people moving amongst washed up rumble of their ruined town with heart heavy that was filled with resolve.

"Take only what you need." He called once more shocked when he saw every head upon the shoreline turn to stare at him, listening to what he had to say as if what he said mattered.

"We have a long march ahead of us." He turned quickly away from the loyal looks being directed his way and instead looked back towards the lone peak in the distance.

 **888**

Tauriel too was looking at the Lonely Mountain, wondering with a frighten heart on whether or not the young dwarf who fascinated her so, still lived.

"Tauriel." She looked over her shoulder to where Legolas was striding towards her, his face twisted in an expression of concern as he held up an armbrace, an ugly mark splashed across it.

"The orcs who were pursuing the dwarves came this way." He said with disgust as he dropped the armbrace to the ground.

"But they have not attacked the mountain." Tauriel replied her eyes searching the rocky landscape for the foul creatures.

"No." Legolas agreed. "So where have they gone?"

She looked back at him and waited as she saw him looked back at the armbrace, at the ugly painted mark upon it.

"I have not seen this mark in a long time. The mark of Gundabad."

Tauriel stared at Legolas in disbelief.

"Gundabad? The orc-stronghold to the North?" She spoke with a pounding heart. She had heard the stories of the battles waged against the Gundabad orcs and of the great losses the elves had suffered from said horrific battles.

Legolas nodded.

"I ride north." He said as he started walking towards where their horses had been tied. "Will you come with me? I must put these fears to rest…"

"Your father gave direct orders for us to return once we had ascertained the dragon was indeed dead." She started but Legolas shook his head.

"He would not allow for us to leave again, not once he knew my thoughts. If you fear his wrath, I will not hold it against you if you wish to return."

He was baiting her and he knew it, she could see it by the mischievous glint to his eyes.

"As if I would allow for you to go anywhere so dangerous without me." She retorted as she stalked towards her horse, bristling further when she heard Legolas lightly laugh behind her.

"I can always return," She shot back at him, "and tell your father what you are up to."

His laughter stopped abruptly and his expression became one of being put out. But only for a moment as she grinned back at him.

He let out another laugh before swinging himself up onto his white stallion. She followed quickly as she leapt upon her chestnut stallion.

"We shall ride and see what can be found to the North." Legolas cried as they urged their horses into a gallop, leaving the shores of Longlake far behind.

* * *

 **13/08/2018 Author's Note:** So this chapter was entirely focused upon Bard and the people of Lake-Town with a special guest appearances from Legolas and Tauriel. They'll be disappearing again, but they shall return in a later chapter.

Are people disappointed that the Master and Alfrid survived Smaug's attack? I was sorry when watching the third movie that Alfrid didn't die along with the Master, and that we were forced to spend so much needless screen time with him. This will not be the case in this fic. They will make a reappearance and then I will off them one way or another. Haven't quite decided how yet and am more than open for suggestions.

Sorry for not updating yesterday. No excuse, I just didn't feel like it, but I did some writing while at work today (I know, that was very bad of me, but it was a slow day with not much working coming in) and I felt motivated to post this chapter.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

Bilbo sat upon a stone bench situated on a half collapsed, but still structurally sturdy balcony (the walkway above it had particularly collapsed upon the balcony) that was above Erebor's main gate, looking out across the valley of Erebor towards Dale.

She had ducked up here to be alone and to get some fresh air as the air within Erebor was still rather stagnant, reeking of dragon, metal and rock.

The dwarves were busy fortifying Erebor or making plans for the future. That morning a group of Dain's soldiers, mounted upon battle rams went charging back to the Iron Hills to bring further provisions and supplies so that they would not be solely dependent upon waiting for envoys from the other six kingdoms of the dwarves.

As she sat upon the stone bench, Bilbo fiddled with one of the last of her buttons upon her ruined waist coat, rolling the little brass button designed with an acorn upon it around between her fingers.

She heard a croaking caw from the unbroken stone railing in front of her and when she looked up, she was surprised to see a large but still relatively young-looking raven perched upon the railing, looking at her with interest.

Bilbo hesitated for a moment.

She had heard the dwarves talk excitedly about Ravens, of how they were a good omen and friend of dwarves. Indeed she had seen Dain and Thorin talking with an older Raven just that morning before she had ducked away. But for hobbits, for hobbits a raven was a harbinger of death. Indeed, she had seen a large black bird on the morn of her mother's death.

"Hello." She said trying to quell her nervousness as the bird that had always been deemed an ill sign from childhood, hopped closer to her.

"I-I don't have any food, I'm afraid." She said trying not twitch as the Raven continued to survey her with its black beady eyes, "It's being rationed and so we have none to spare… I'm sorry. It must be quite disappointing to have returned to the mountain after all this time only to find it is still quite without life."

The Raven let out a low croak again and Bilbo noticed that he appeared to be staring at her last brass button that she was still fiddling with, unconsciously from her nerves.

"Do you," She gave the button a firm tug and what was left of the string holding it to her waistcoat snapped as she held the button out, "would you like it? It's my last button but you can have it if you like." _And if you promise to leave me alone once you have it._

The Raven gave an excited hop and Bilbo let out a squeak as it flew the short distance between the railings to the bench she was sitting on, his head cocked to one side, beak slightly parted.

"Here," She said holding out the button flat in the palm of her hand, "take it, it is yours."

The Raven let out a gurgling croak as he neatly plucked the button from her hand, incline his head to her before flying off somewhere above her head.

"You've made a friend." She jumped at Fili's voice, the young dwarf prince leaning against the archway leading out to the balcony.

Bilbo snort.

"Hardly. It was only a button." She said dismissively as she got slowly to her feet.

"Maybe so, but he will remember a kindness. Ravens are loyal birds and will return favours in kind."

Bilbo only shrugged, not certain that she wanted to have any favour with the bird.

"Come," Fili said as he held out his arm for her to take, "Uncle's worrying about where you've gotten to."

"Paranoid, protective old dwarf." She sighed though she couldn't help but smile just a little.

"I think he's worrying that you might have fallen over a ledge." Fili teased which caused Bilbo to huff.

"Only because there are no railings!" She huffed with a pout causing Fili to laugh.

"How's Kili? His arm?" She asked for she had not seen the youngest prince since they had left the watchtower after Smaug had died.

Fili's face transformed from one of cheer to a more sombre expression.

"Oin gave him a strong sleeping draft," Fili paused with a shake of his head, "Maybe a bit too strong as he was using ingredients from Erebor's stores that have sat for sixty years fermenting…"

"Oin knows what he's doing." Bilbo reassured the golden prince quickly.

"Oh, I know." Fili agreed hurriedly, "I just… I worry." He hung his head, uncertainty radiating off him for admitting weakness, even if said weakness was his little brother whose arm had been burnt by Dragon's fire.

"He will heal, Oin is sure of that. He just won't be able to shoot or do much fighting for some time. Not until his arm and shoulder fully heals."

"He'll hate that." Bilbo sighed, thinking of how twitchy the youngest prince got when he felt things were moving too quietly for too long.

Fili only nodded in agreement and they continued deeper into the mountain towards the make-shift council chamber, Bilbo feeling her heart start to race the closer they got.

"Ignore them." Fili said suddenly as they were a corridor away from the council chamber.

"Sorry," She pulled herself from her anxiety haze to turn to Fili who was looking at her with sad, knowing eyes.

"Don't let their whispers affect you, they know nothing about you."

She gave a nervous little laugh.

"Oh, I know! But easier said than done!" She ran a hand through her hair fretfully.

"We're with you." Fili squeezed her arm. "And," He smiled his most joyful, sunlit smile that Bilbo always thought suited him best though she had been seeing it less and less as their quest had gone on, "we think the world of you. You're our hobbit and we will stand by you, no matter what."

"Thank you Fili." She said softly, blinking back tears. "Oh," she swatted his arm, "Look what you've done! You've made me all teary now. And we're just about to go into the wolf's den too!"

Fili laughed as he slung a fond arm across her shoulders and hugged her in close.

"Come Mistress Boggins, no time for tears, let us show them why you are such a terrifying little being who can trick trolls into turning to stone, riddle your way from foul creatures in the deep places of the world, sing spiders to their death and talk a dragon to his doom."

"Hardly!" Bilbo said with a choking laugh. "But thank you for thinking so highly of me for essentially talking my head off to get myself out of deadly situations."

Fili simply grinned back at her before guiding her the rest of the way to the council chamber. While the dwarves of the Iron Hill scowled at her entry, she focused on the grins she was receiving from the company and Thorin's relieved expression.

She settled herself up in the back of the chamber, with the Broadbeams and listened to meeting that made her head spin.

She hadn't really thought of how much time and effort it would take to make the mountain and surrounding areas liveable again, what with the land around Erebor being barren and Lake-Town destroyed. Trade was their best option but getting a trade route set-up that would be able to supply enough food and resources would take time and with Winter breathing down their necks, the next few months would be challenging.

 _Be easier almost_ , Bilbo thought, _if we could simply grow our own food. In the long term at least_. She sighed heavily, _doesn't really help us in the short term_. But even so, her mind turned to the Shire, to the lands she owned.

 _I could do it_ , she thought with a surge of determination, _if I had the seeds, the tools and the aid, I could get the mountain flourishing with vegetables and fruits._

For while hobbits are by far one of the least magical or powerful of all the races that lived within Middle-Earth they do possess one talent, beyond their ability to eat an almost inexcusable about of food, and that was to help things grow. Plants seem to flourish better under the care of a hobbit than they did with any other race.

Now, Bilbo did half suspect that this might have a lot do with how fertile the lands of the Shire were but she had read that volcanic soil was some of the most fertile earth in all the world, and Erebor, Bilbo had been told on countless occasions, had once been a volcano many thousands of years ago.

She only hoped that with it having been extinct for so many years, the soil had not been rendered infertile.

It was a worry, for it had been sixty years since Smaug had burnt the surrounding areas and nothing had regrown in that time. Bilbo could only hope that that was due to no one having tried rather than the soil being completely worthless for growing.

She could only hope.

 **888**

"And where," a quiet voice spoke softly at her side as she left the council chamber, "did your mind wander off to this past hour, if I may ask?"

"Oh," She blushed in embarrassment up at Thorin, "it wasn't… it was nothing important. Just…" she wiggled a hand vaguely at her head, "ideas, floating around. If they bear any fruit, I'll let you know." She tucked a curl of oily hair behind her ear and tried not to wrinkle her noise at the texture of her locks. She felt truly revolting.

"Come," Thorin said unexpectedly as he lightly took a hold of her arm, all the while ignoring the looks being sent their way by Iron Hill dwarves.

Thorin started guiding her up one of the massive staircases leading up into the mountain from the main entrance hall. He picked up a flaming touch from a sconces and held it aloof as they went.

"Where are we going?" Bilbo asked curiously as she looked around the green marble that made up the dwaven city. It truly was a wondrous place, even in ruins.

Thorin smiled a small, almost self-conscious smile before simply saying, "You'll see." And took hold of her hand and squeezed it gently.

Up and up they went through the city, where the smell and desolation of Smaug grew to be a little less, but still the pain and grief of what Smaug had done was evident in every staircase they took, every corridor they passed. The city itself sang sadness as Bilbo looked out upon it.

They moved into a part of the city that felt a little more royal, a little grander, reminding her of the house of Lord Elrond or the Halls of the Woodland King though of course the architecture was very, very different in all three places.

"Thorin," She asked softly as they passed two grand statues leading into this very royal of places, "Where-where are we?"

"My home." Thorin replied softly, no more than a whisper, "This is where I grew up."

Bilbo looked around her curiously.

It was… well, it was quite a bit different from Bag End.

Where Bag End was welcoming, with soft colours and curved walls while the home of Thorin's childhood was very much like the rest of Erebor, built out green marble, clean lines and intricate carving cut into the stone. It didn't feel like a home, more like a space for people meeting to speak politics or of war, but after sixty years Bilbo supposed the hominess of a place would quickly disappear, especially when said place was being inhabited by an evil, fire-breathing dragon.

He continued to lead her through his home, his steps occasionally faltering before seeming to build within him the inner strength to continue.

They finally came to a door that for a moment Thorin hesitated in front of.

He let go of her hand and made a 'wait a moment' sign before he opened the door and entered. Bilbo hung awkwardly in the corridor – which was now dark except for the light coming from the open door way. – a shiver trickling down her spine as she imagined all the dwarves who had once lived in the city all around her and below her and who were now all dead, with their ghosts forever haunting the mountain.

Though, Bilbo hoped fervently, now that Smaug was gone and dead in the waters of Long Lake, maybe they could finally find peace and move onto the halls of their forefathers.

"Billa?" Thorin pulled her from her thoughts as he called for her from within the room. Wrapping her arms around her waist to help fight off the chill that was threatening to enter her bones despite the layers of clothes she wore, she entered the room.

It was a bedroom, one that was even larger than her parent's master bedroom in Bag End and possessed so much more character than what she had seen of the Royal lodging.

It was in need of a good clean, with the amount of dust and cobwebs everywhere, but it was by far the most lived in and homely space she had seen within the entire mountain so far.

It… actually reminded her of her own bedroom back in Bag End, with the books stacked in precarious piles all around the room, on the desk and by the bed.

Worn and faded tapestries and paintings hung from the walls, some depicting epic scenes Bilbo guessed were from dwarven history, while others were… paintings like which she had done herself during her tween years, of things that had caught her interest and she had wanted to try and capture upon paper – with varying success.

On the walls were also mounted weapons, that Bilbo was certain were of the owners of the room's own work, wanting their first ever creations to be proudly displayed so they could look back upon them and be impressed by how far they had come.

What caught her eye last but held her interest for the longest, was a beautiful harp that stood at one end of the dusty desk. Even covered by dust as it was Bilbo's breath was quite taken away by the harps intricate beauty.

Harps were not commonly found in the Shire due to them being a rather complicated string instrument to learn and Hobbits were more interested in playing quick and happy party tunes than something softer and often ethereal sounding. But in saying that, harps could still be found in among the homes of wealthier hobbits and one could even find a hobbit or two who could play it.

Belladonna Baggins nee Took had been one such hobbit.

She had been able to play the Harp that resided still within the Great Smials, the ancestral home of the Thains, so beautifully that everyone who heard her, stopped what they were doing to listen to her play.

She had done her best to teach her daughter how to play the harp also, but with very little success. Bilbo had been blessed with a lovely singing voice and a talent for making up clever party tunes but her inability to play any kind of instrument well was a nagging fault that annoyed various family members, on both Bilbo's Took and Baggins side, even now, decades on.

"It's lovely." She mumbled, reaching out a hand to touch it before quickly snatching it way for fear of damaging it in some way.

Thorin let out a small snort of amusement.

"And here was me thinking you would go straight for the books." He teased in a low voice.

"Oh trust me, those are definitely next." She said still looking at the harp.

"Do you play?" Thorin asked his tone soft with curiousity.

Bilbo snorted.

"Ah, no… I do not possess the fingers clever enough to play instruments, as Grandmother Baggins was fond of saying. I can sing, and sometimes I can make up a song or two if I'm in the mood, but that's really as far as my musical talent goes." She paused as she looked from the Harp to Thorin and then back again.

"Can you?" She asked her head tilted a little to one side.

"A little." He smiled while Bilbo rolled her eyes with an amused huff.

"I bet you play as well as you do everything else in life. Which is very well indeed." Again she paused as she looked from him to the Harp. "It's yours, isn't it?"

"Yes." His smile grew a little though his eyes were sad as he looked around the dusty remains of his old room.

Bilbo looked around his bedroom too, getting a sense that when Thorin had left this room the day Smaug attacked he had had no idea that he would not be returning to it for a very long time, what with the bed only being half made, a book lying open face down on the bedside table to hold its place.

She winced a little at the sight because books were not meant to be treated in such a fashion (even though she was just as guilty of committing the same crime against her own books). How its poor spine must have suffered, these past sixty years!

"Come," Thorin held out his hand for her to take and he quickly led her into a room adjoining his bedroom and Bilbo wasn't ashamed by the delighted squeal that escaped her as she looked upon a large, in-built floor bath that took up one side of bathroom they had just entered, steam slowly rising from the water.

"How-how… why is it doing that?" Bilbo gasped as she went to kneel by the water and let out another gasp of delight as her hand dipped into water that was just the right amount of heat for her.

"Hot springs." Thorin explained with a small grin as he took in her awe-filled expression. "The mountain is full of them."

" _Oh_ , I want one." Bilbo sighed in absolutely delight.

"I'm sure that can be arranged." Thorin said softly, a promise in his voice.

She beamed widely at him, before she went about settling herself so that she was sitting at the edge of the pool and stuck her travel weary feet into the glorious warm water.

"There are a few things I need to take care of." Thorin said as he pulled her from her state of utter bliss. "Will you be alright to stay here by yourself? You will be completely safe. And I will return as soon as I am…"

Bilbo waved him off with a content air about her.

"Go, I'll be fine." She smiled a serene happy smile at the bath, "I think I need a few hours to become truly acquainted with this lovely bath and get all the filth out of my hair." She grinned at Thorin, amused to see him looking a little slack-jawed before he shook himself with an almost wistful look at her and the bath.

"Enjoy." Was the only word his mind seemed to be capable of saying, causing her to laugh right up until he swooped forward and pressed a passionate kiss to her mouth. Her fingers lightly curled around the collar of his coat holding him close until he pulled away, very unwillingly.

"I will see you soon." He promised his voice low and throaty.

"I'll be waiting." She said cheerily and with a bright wave that made him huff before he gave an affectionate look as he departed the bathroom.

With glee, Bilbo tore off her dirty, sweaty, smoke-reeked clothes and dumped them unceremoniously by the edge of the bath before sliding into it with a sigh of relief and pure happiness.

Oh, this was glorious! Pure heaven!

As Thorin left his room, after having lit the last few sconces upon the walls of the chamber, he heard Billa's gasp and squeal of delight as he guessed she slid into the warm water. He had half a mind to simply turn around and join her, before deciding better on it.

His hobbit, he knew, enjoyed having times alone to herself and those times included when she was reading and when she took a bath. As desperately as he needed her to keep his mind more or less sane, he could not cling to her every moment of every day. It was not fair on her nor was it healthy for their relationship.

If he was ever going to learn to control and eventually cure the sickness that festered inside of him, he needed to learn how to stand on his own two feet and without using someone, namely Billa, as an emotional crutch.

That did not mean he was stupid enough to believe that he could deal with this by himself. He saw what became of his grandfather and father when they tried to deal with their own sicknesses by themselves. He would not allow himself to make their mistakes.

He left his old bedroom behind him, making sure to light what sconces he hadn't lit on the way to his room as he went, so that if Billa did wish to leave and return to their camp by in the main entrance hall and surrounding chambers before he returned she could do so with ease.

He did not make for the entrance hall though, as one might have believed was his destination. Instead he took many detours to try and remain unseen by any dwarf of the Iron Hills. He had a specific mission in mind that he wished to complete without being disturbed.

He took care as he entered a workshop that had once belonged to the master armourers of Erebor.

He was in search of something very specific, something that had been created and then simply put away when payment had not been made.

He hoped it was still tucked away in the last spot he had seen it and had not somehow been pulled away into the massive hall that Smaug had taken upon himself to hoard all of Erebor's great wealth. If that were the case, it might take him years to find what he sort.

But no, luck appeared to shining upon him, for there, tucked away, half hidden and half-forgotten was exactly what he had been looking for.

He was more than a little surprised that he had even remembered where it was, but given the value of the item, maybe it wasn't so surprising after all.

He pulled out the small coat of mail from the shelf it had been stashed in since his youth, the silver rings glinting faintly in the fire light.

 _Mithril_ , the word whispered enticingly around his head, before he shoved it aside as he imagined Billa wearing it, the coat keeping her safe from all dangers.

Yes, as he had found whenever he thought about Billa and her safety, the sickness withdrew just a little and he could think clearly once again.

Satisfied with his find and desperate to get away from the riches of the master armourers workshop – for even though they had built only armour, the armour they craft was beautiful beyond measure, most of it being ornamental armour rather than any armour actually used in battle, and so each piece that was still within this room was inlayed with gold and silver, precious jewels and other such finery and it was not helping to keep his sickness at bay.

He left the workshop in hurry, all but running back the way he had come, the coat of mithril tucked into the pocket of his own coat.

He didn't know how long it had been since he left Billa to her bath, an hour? Maybe a little more. He hoped it had been long enough that his return would not disturb her too greatly.

He knocked on his old bedroom door before entering, even though he had received no answer. He was struck again with a wave of lose and nostalgia as he took in his old room. His younger self had really had no idea how his life was about to be changed forever when he had gotten up that morning, so very long ago.

He ran a weary had over his face as a wave of old pain and grief washed through him.

A splash from the bathroom pulled him from his dark thoughts.

"Billa?" He called more to let her know that he had returned and assure himself that she was alright.

"Hello." She called back in an almost dreamy tone. He walked to the bathroom door and knocked against it gently.

"May I come in?" He asked through the just closed door.

"Hmmm, well," Her tone was still dreamy but with a teasing edge to it as she drew out her words, "I suppose... if you must."

He opened the door and entered the bathroom with a small grin. His hobbit was fully submerged in the water of the bath which now had a film of bubbles on top of it.

"I live here now." She grinned at him from over the bubbly water, "this is my new home."

His heart leapt at her words before firmly telling himself not to get his hopes up, she was only jesting and was not actually being serious with her words. But still he couldn't quite stop himself from asking.

"Just the bath? Or the whole mountain?" He asked heart in mouth as he watched her playfully deliberated upon his question.

"If you add a bath like this one to my eventual bedroom, I will seriously consider staying here forever." She bargained over the bubbles.

"Or you could simply stay here, in my chamber." He burst out before his could stop himself, his face heating up at his bold words.

She blinked at him before blushing.

"Oh, well, I suppose, I mean… if you want me too." She mumbled shyly, her face ducking a little beneath the water in the bath.

"Yes. Very much." Blunt and direct was Thorin's favourite course of action when dealing with a situation that he felt he had very little control over. And that was how most conversation that involved this beautiful hobbit woman sitting in the bath and smiling shyly up at him went, her cheeks burning a brilliant red colour.

"May I join you?" He blurted out and watched as her cheeks grew redder. He would leave her if she so desired for the last thing he wanted was for her to feel pressured into anything in this relationship. Everything must be of her choice, freely given without pressure.

"Yes." She said her voice small and shy, but her smile was warm and open.

He made quick work of removing his clothes, watching Billa's reaction out of the corner of his eyes as he did so. His poor little hobbit didn't seem to know where to look, constantly catching herself watching him remove his layers of clothing in full light of the torches around the chamber and before hurriedly looking away at the ceiling or at the bath water.

He couldn't help but let out a hiss of pleasure as he slide into the hot water of the bath.

"I agree." He rumbled as he closed his eyes to savour the glorious feeling of the hot water upon his aching flesh. He hadn't even known how much he ached until the water started moving against his skin. "We live here now."

Billa let out a happy laugh before he felt her small and slightly prune-y fingers lightly touch his chest and shoulders.

He opened his eyes to look down upon her, at her heat flushed face and impossibly brown eyes.

He leant down and kissed her full on the lips as her hands reached up and twisted into his hair.

He didn't know and honestly didn't care just how long they spent in the bathing pool, the important thing was by the end when they got out they were very, very clean.

"Now I think I could sleep for at least a hundred year." Billa yawned, rubbing her eyes as she slowly started the task of pulling on her clothes, her nose wrinkling just a little at the smell of them. He probably should have suggested she bring her pack, but…

He cupped the side of her head and kissed her temple fondly.

As he pulled on his coat he remembered the business that had taken him from her side to begin with.

"I have something for you." He said and suddenly felt a wave of nervousness flood him. There was logic behind his gift – he would have her safe, for despite her incredible luck up until this point when faced with dangerous situations her ability to fight and protect herself was still much to be desired – but it was not what one might call romantic. Nor had he made the gift by his own hands which was usually an important aspect to courting, to prove that you could bring a worthy skill to a union.

Billa stopped what she was doing, which was struggling to pull on her over-sized blue coat first given to her in Lake-Town and stared at him, her eyes wide with surprise and-and pleasure.

"You don't have to give me anything." She started to say, but he waved her off as he pulled the Mithril coat from his pocket and held it out in front of him and watched her mouth drop as she stared in wonder at the beautiful shirt of mail.

"It's… Thorin, its beautiful!" she gushed as she lightly touched the mail.

"Mithril," he said softly as he watched her run her fingers carefully over the silver rings, "is what it was called by my forebears. No blade can ever pierce it. It will keep you safe."

She hesitated for a moment, before she let her coat slide gently to the ground – there was still a slight clunk from the Arkenstone hidden in her pocket – and took the shirt of mail from him and pulled it on over her head.

"Well," she said as she did a small spin on the spot, "I feel magnificent but I'm sure I look absolutely ridiculous. I would cause quite a stir in Shire if I walked around wearing this." She grinned at him in a self-deprecating way that makes his heart ache at how little she thought of herself still.

He looked her up and down in the shirt and his heart swell with love and relief to know that he had done, even as small thing as this, something that would keep her safe. What he didn't like was how the sickness inside of him liked it too. The sickness was always tossing and turning between seeing Billa as a threat to it or as a possession that belonged purely to him.

He shoved the dark thoughts away but some must have shown on his face for she was pulling the shirt off once more.

He opened his mouth to protest only for his face to grow a little slack as he watched her continue to remove her ruined vest and shirt, leaving her in only her undershirt which she then pulled the mithril shirt over, quickly followed by the rest of her clothes.

"There," she smiled up at him, once she had settled her large coat around her again, "How's that?"

Thorin shook his head as he let out a relief little sigh.

"Perfect. Thank-thank you." She stood on her tippy toes to kiss him sweetly on the lips.

"Thank _you_." She said against his lips before she hopped backwards, pulling at a black cord around her throat.

"Here." She said holding out a long black cord that her mother's wedding ring hung from, swaying ever so slightly back and forth.

"Billa," he stared at the ring and then back at her because she didn't, she didn't know what she was doing by giving him her ring, a treasure she held so close to her heart, after he had just presented her with mithril coat.

Her cheeks burned in embarrassment, ducking her head so that her still damp curls fell into her eyes.

"I know… I know it isn't much, not compared to the mail shirt, but… I would… I'd like for you to have it. If you are willing." Her face somehow managed to turn even redder as she continued rambling on, "Um, you see we hobbits, as much as we like to receive presents, we like to give them just as much and we're raised to give presents in return for the presents we have received. Oh, but, that's not to say I'm giving you this purely because you gave me the shirt, I…" he pulled her in his arms as her rambles became a little hysterical as she spluttered to explain herself.

"Shhh," he said into her golden brown curls, "All is well. I am honoured." He felt her immediately sag against him.

He took the black leather cord from her and carefully pulled it over his head and tucked the ring beneath his collar. He took in her grinning face as he did so, her happiness almost palpable.

"Come," he gently took hold of her hand, "we should return to the others."

"Oh…" her cheeks had turned fire-y red again, "must we?"

"Unfortunately yes."

Billa hesitated for a moment before nodding her head slowly, her face still red with embarrassment.

"It has not bothered you before for us to return to the company after spending time alone." Thorin said as he carefully closed his bedroom door behind them after having put out the torches from within.

"Well… actually it has," She admitted a little sheepishly, "but it's not just them that we're returning to, is it?"

"No," he sighed heavily through his nose, "no it is not."

He watched her bite her lower lip, her mind probably whirling with worst case scenarios.

"I will let them know where we stand. And if they have any issues, they can get out!" Thorin spoke calmly while Billa let out a choking sort of laugh.

"Thorin!" She replied her face filled with scandalous amusement, "you can't do that!"

"And why not? You are who I choose to have by my side and if they don't like it, they can get out of my mountain."

"I highly doubt it would be that simple!" She protested with a laugh.

"I'll make it that simple,"

Billa pressed a hand over her mouth as she laughed and laughed, her eyes twinkling in happiness and mirth.

She was still giggling away when they returned to the main entrance hall where they were met with varying looks, ranging from amusement and exasperation (the company) to surprise and horror (from the dwarves of the Iron Hills). Dain looked as if a question that had been nagging at him for some time had finally been answered and gave a huge shrug of his massive shoulders

"If anyone here has any issue with mine and Master Baggins relationship," he pointed towards the broken, rocked filled main gate, "there's the door."

Out of the corner of his eyes he saw Billa press a hand to her face as she rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustrations at him.

"Thorin!" a dwarf lord spluttered in horror but Thorin waved him off and proceeded to escort Billa to the rest of the company who were either shaking their heads or looking even more amused by the turn of events.

"I always knew you were going to be something of a political nightmare," Billa sighed rolling her eyes at him as she took a bowl of stew from Bombur.

Thorin simply grinned wickedly at her in return causing her to huff into her stew.

He could feel burning eyes against his back, but he ignored them for he simply did not care. They may not like that he had chosen Billa but nothing that they said or did would ever make him regret his choice.

So much had been taken from him in his life, but he would not let anything or anyone take this from him, not her. He would fight til his last breath to keep her safe and with him.

There was only one person in all of Middle-Earth who had the power to remove her from his side and he would not fight back, and that very person was herself, Billanna Baggins.

* * *

 **19/08/2018 Author's Note:** So this chapter was kinda a filler chapter, but it was fun to write Thorin/Billa fluff. And I finally got to write the Mithril Vest/Bilbo's Mother's Ring exchange scene, something I have wanted to write for years now. For those of you who don't this was a very minor plot thing in my other Hobbit story _The Most Precious of Treasures_.

Next chapter we'll be dealing with the people of Lake-Town coming to Dale and how the dwarves react to them being there and so close.

Thanks for reading, have a nice weekend and I will see you all next Sunday with Chapter Sixteen.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Once again, Bilbo found herself wandering the outer corridors of Erebor on her own.

She truly couldn't bear to go too deep into the mountain by herself, the feeling of the walls closing in on her and the smell of dragon still caused her heart to twisted and ache with phantom fear. So her wandering was kept to the halls that were closest to the surface.

She went more often than not to her bench above the front gate of Erebor. She didn't have much of a view of what lay beyond the mountain from the bench, due a large pile of rocks having collapsed onto the balcony during Smaug's siege of Erebor, but even so, it was quiet and she could smell fresh air but still be out of the wind when sitting on her bench.

Occasionally she would be stumbled upon by a group of Iron Hills guards who were patrolling the area to make sure nothing untoward was occurring. Some treated her with contempt, either barely acknowledging her presence or speaking in harsh tones in dwarvish as they scowl passed her. Others were… kinder.

Some guards even stopped to speak with her, asking her of the Shire and of her travels with the company and of other such things of that nature. They were still incredibly closed off but Bilbo made a point of learning their names and recognising them on sight, which seemed to both surprise and please them. Such course of action seemed to warm her to them a little, which in turn seemed to make other guards she met just that little bit kinder and respectful towards her.

She still had long way to go before they would look at her as something more than an annoyance or worse, as some kind of elf-cousin.

She had laughed at that, laughed so hard that she had almost fallen off the chair she had been sitting on at the time when she heard herself being referred to as such.

Imagine that, Hobbits and Elves being related in some way. Never before had she heard something so ludicrous as that!

And she had said as much and within the hearing range of the dwarves who had made the comment causing for them to turn away in a hurry, their ears red.

It still gave her a good chuckle, even a day later.

She sat upon her bench, chuckling still as she fiddled with something in her pocket, something she had almost forgotten about with everything that had happened these past few weeks, drawing it out into the dim light of the early winter sun, trying not to think of the chill that was threatening to seep into her bones.

"What have you got there?" She looked around with a small smile as Thorin walked towards her from a corridor leading out onto the balcony she sat upon.

She forced herself to keep on smiling despite the grey tone to his skin and the haunted look to his eyes that filled her heart with worry. She hadn't seen him all day and it made her wonder what he had been up to.

She thinks she vaguely remembers talk of trying to sort through the treasure in Smaug's bedroom and wondered if Thorin had forced himself to spend the day overseeing the effort.

 _Or maybe he has forced himself to leave_ , she thought grimly.

"It's," She was a little embarrassed actually to admit what was in her hand, it being such a small thing in comparison to everything that lay within this great lone mountain, "It's nothing really."

She saw a flicker of what could only be labelled as suspicion and possibly paranoia. Of what, Bilbo had no idea, but then she didn't have a clue what the true workings behind the dragon-sickness that was invading Thorin's mind and soul.

She had tried to do some research about it with Balin and Ori since they had come to the mountain and Smaug had been defeated but with her knowledge of the Dwaven written word still being as basic as it was, she wasn't making much progress and was most likely hindering rather than helping Balin and Ori in their own research when she stopped them every five minutes to ask about a word she did not know.

"It's…" She sighed and simply held out her hand, so the object she held lay in her palm, upwards for Thorin to see.

"It's just an acorn." She said with a small loving smile directed at the acorn in her hand. "I picked it up on Beorn's garden."

Thorin looked from the acorn back to her, the sickness leaving his face a little as he looked at her incredulously.

"You carried it all this way."

Bilbo shrugged.

"It's only a very small thing." She offered with another shrug, "I was planning on planting it in my garden, in Bag End, or, um, here." She snuck a glance at him and saw a small smile start to grow against Thorin's lips.

"That would be a poor price to take back to the Shire. Or even to plant here." Thorin replied softly.

She laughed softly because oh, how wrong he was.

"Oh no, not to me, it won't. For in time, it will grow. And as it grows, I will look upon it and I will remember. I will remember everything that has happened, the good, the bad." Her mind drifted to the horrifying sight of Smaug attacking Lake-Town before she forced herself to leave her dark thoughts behind and continue, "And how lucky I am that I made it home." Be that the Shire or here in Erebor still remained to be seen.

"You are truly remarkable." Thorin smiled reaching out to cup her cheek.

"For carrying an acorn around in my pocket across a good chunk of Middle-Earth?" she asked as a laugh tumbled from her lips.

"Among other things, yes." He murmured as he leant into kiss her.

"Thorin!" Dwalin's shout made them both jump and turn in direction his voice had come from, "Thorin, survivors…" Dwalin came running out onto the balcony, "from Lake-Town." _Where else_ , Bilbo thought though her heart still leapt with hope and relief, "They are streaming into Dale. There's hundreds of them."

"Oh thank goodness." Bilbo whispered as she pressed a trembling hand over her pounding heart, tears of relief stinging behind her eyes.

"Call everyone to the gate." Bilbo's head snapped around to look at Thorin in alarm at his tone of voice, her stomach dropping as she stared up at his face which was cold and almost cruel.

"Thorin…" She started to say, reaching out to him but he had his back to her as he bellowed at the top of his impressive lungs.

"TO THE GATE! _NOW_!"

She stared at him with a mixture of shock and horror as he stormed past Dwalin who was wearing a similar expression of shock at the sudden and terrifying change in their king.

"Come along lass." Dwalin said clearly shaken, motioning for her to walk in front of him as they followed hurriedly after Thorin down the stairs to the walled in gate that had dwarves rushing to from all directions.

It was only because she had Dwalin at her side that she was able to find a place upon the top of the gate.

She leant heavily upon the piled up stone work and stared out at Dale with joy as she saw indeed what appeared to be hundreds of humans walking upon the walls and among the buildings of the old ruin city.

Maybe, just maybe she did not have the blood of so many on her hands. Maybe Bard had been successful with getting everyone to safety so only a few lives were lost.

 _They still lost their homes_ , a soft mournful voice whispered and Bilbo felt her heart sink once again.

"Won't be long til they come crawling 'ere." She heard a dwarf growl from somewhere to her right, his tone full of disgust that made Bilbo want to rage.

The people of Lake-Town had lost EVERYTHING! Because of HER and the company and instead of being looked upon with compassion, they were being sneered at and held with contempt.

"Easy Lass." Dwalin said catching her shaking shoulders as she made to rage at the dwarves around her who were making similar snide comments.

But at least she wasn't alone with her thinking. Somewhere near to where Thorin and Dain were standing at the centre of the gate she could hear Fili and Kili yelling in outrage on behalf of the people of Lake-Town.

"The people of Lake-Town have nothing!" Fili was shouting at the top of his lungs, "We must give them aid for it was us who brought the dragon down upon their heads! They have lost everything because of us!"

She heard only grumbles in response.

None wanted to part with the gold that had been so long lost and so hard won.

"Oh for goodness sake!" She yelled hopping up on top of the wall, hands on her hips and rage burning in her heart. Dwalin had his hand pressed to his forehead but made no move to try and stop her.

"They can have my bloody share of the gold, for I have no need of it! And," she raised her voice over the shouts that her words had caused, "I would rather have it spent to help those in great need than it sitting idly by looking pretty but utterly useless inside this mountain. Honestly," she huffed as she frowned down at them, "I don't know why you're all caring so much about the gold anyway, when it will be food that will be the real issue in the long run."

That shut them up for all of a minute, before they started ranting about food supplies and not wanting to share what little they already had with the humans.

Dain shot her a thoroughly exasperated look as he tried shouting them down while Thorin continued to stand silent and grey-faced by his side, staring out at the ruins of Dale.

Bilbo jumped down from the wall in absolute disgust.

"Bilbo!"

Members of the company tried to catch her but she refused to be caught. In fact her desire to be left alone was so great that she slipped on her funny little ring and disappeared from sight causing yelps of surprise from the dwarves who saw her suddenly vanish into thin air and looks of despair from her company.

Sniffing and wiping frustrated tears from her face, she stomped back up to her balcony – not the best of hiding spots due to it being the place she was most commonly found, but she was invisible, so if they were only giving the balcony a cursory look and didn't listen too hard for sniffling and distressed breathing then she should be left undisturbed for at least a few hours – and clambered up the tall – for her – stone wall so that she might overlook the Erebor valley and towards Dale.

As she leant against the wall, looking despondently out towards Dale, she heard the sounds of desperate flapping and a mournful croaking caw just off to her left and when she turned her head, she saw the young Raven from a day or so ago flap weakly to the stone work.

"What has happened to you?" She asked as she moved forward, not thinking that she was invisible and she gave the poor bird quite a fright.

"Oops, I'm sorry." She pulled her silly little ring off and quickly stashed it back into her pocket. "I'm sorry about that. Now, what is the matter? You look like you are in pain."

And so the poor bird did, the way he cradled his right wing close to his chest.

Despite Bilbo's previous reservations of going anywhere near the black birds of the mountain, she could not bear to leave the poor creature to its misery.

"Here," She said gently, "let me have a look."

It took a little convincing on her part for the Raven to finally let her look at his hurt wing, but in the end she succeed and with great care she started inspecting the glossy black feathers.

"Well, that's not good." She mumbled when she found what appeared to be an arrow head imbedded into the wing, "not good at all. You poor thing, I cannot begin to imagine how painful this must be for you." The Raven simply croaked in agreement, looking up at her with black beady eyes imploringly.

"Oh," she said nervously, "I don't know if I am the right person to pull it out. Wait here and I will go and get Oin!"

The Raven hopped up and down in distress.

"I could make it worse!" She insisted worriedly, "Don't you understand? I am not a healer, I'm… I'm really not the person you want to be doing this."

The Raven simply let out a long anguished cry.

"Fine!" Bilbo said in a panic, "But if I do something wrong and I make it worse, be it on your head as I did warn you!"

"Alright," She took a deep breath as she gently lifted the large bird into her arms and held him against her body with one arm and closed her fingers of her other hand – which she had firmly wrapped a bit of cloth around her palm to avoid cutting her hand - tightly around the top of the blood arrow head, "on the count of three. Are you ready?"

The Raven croaked.

"One… two…three..." She pulled and the broken arrow slide from the raven's wing as smoothly as one could only hope for.

She threw the arrow head behind her and after setting the cawing bird upon the bench, she tore lengths of her shirt into strips – her old beaten waistcoat was too tough a fabric for her to rip – and quickly started bandaging up the Raven's wing the best she could.

"There, how's that?" She asked the Raven as she sat back on her heels and looked at the Raven as he experimentally flapped his injured wing.

He looked relieved that the arrow was gone, but his wing was obviously still causing him great pain.

"Poor thing." She mumbled as she wiped her bloody fingers against her trouser legs.

The Raven croaked again.

"Will you let me take you to Oin now? He might be able to give you something for the pain, and probably put a better bandage on your wing." She chuckled weakly.

The Raven eyed her for a moment before hopping, much to her surprise up onto her right shoulder, standing proudly above her head. Her shoulder sagged under the bird's significant weight.

"Alright," she wobbled a little until she found her balance. "Let us go and find Oin. And hopefully no one else. I'm quite fed up with dwarves," She muttered darkly under her breath as she snuck from the balcony and made her way to a room that Oin had claimed as his make-shift infirmary until the old, grander one of Erebor had been properly cleaned out.

The old dwarf had not come to Thorin's call to the gate – purely because he hadn't heard it. She knew for a fact that Bifur and Bofur were working on building the old dwarf a new ear-trumpet for him to use – so did not know of the people of Lake-Towns arrival in Dale until she told him as he examined the Raven.

"Eh, so a good many survived the attack from the beast." The old dwarf said as he rubbed a smelly green ointment upon the Raven's wing. "Good, good. Guess I'll be busy in the coming days, taking care of the injured and such." He actually looked pleased, bless him.

"You won't." Bilbo said bitterly. Oin didn't hear what she had said but he saw the angry, bitter look on her face.

"Eh, no need to pull faces at helping people." Oin grumbled at her and she jumped to her feet, absolutely furious at his assumption.

"I'm _NOT_ the one against helping them! Believe me, I want to! More than anything," She blinked back tears, "I want to help them. Because," Oh no, here comes the tears again.

"It's my fault!" She choked, "My fault that they're homeless and have no food! It's my fault they have no shelter from the cold of winter that is blowing in." She wiped tears from her eyes while Oin looked at her with a guilty expression, having watched her lips closely as she spoke and had therefore understood most of what she had said.

"Lassie, that… I mean." He shook his grew head with a heavy sigh, "I'm sorry lass. I did not think. Of course you want to help them." He paused to lightly touch her arm, his dark eyes filled with regret and sorrow.

She gave a jerky sort of nod and settled back into the chair that she had curled herself in while Oin had been working his medical magic upon the raven.

"So they're fighting against the idea of helping the humans?" Oin guessed on his own with a heavy sigh.

"Yes, basically. First they were worried that the humans would take all the gold, which is virtually impossible given how much there is in Smaug's bloody bedroom! And then," She pulled at a string of her ruined shirt, "I might have made mentioned that food is going to be an issue and they just jumped on that and…. I left. I couldn't bear to be around them anymore." She twisted her head to stare up at the stone ceiling above her. "Why? Why are they so against helping the people of Lake-Town? They helped us… more or less."

"Because no one ever helps us." Oin replied in a sombre tone. "When Erebor fell to Smaug, it wasn't just the elves who did not come to our aid, but the humans too. They turned us away with swords and spears, blaming even the innocent for the destruction Smaug brought upon Erebor and Dale. Everywhere we Durin folk travelled we had to fight tooth and claw to find our feet once again, with no help from elves or men. We help our own and keep to our own."

"That… way of thinking only breeds ill-will among all races," Bilbo mumbled but she could see what Oin was saying, the sense of his words and what she already knew about dwarves. "We need to break that way of thinking or every race in the world will become vulnerable because no one is willing to help anyone else."

"Aye, true that." Oin agreed softly as he started putting away ointments and bandages.

The Raven hopped up and down for a moment or two, before he hopped over to Bilbo and onto her shoulder once more.

"You've got a friend there." Oin commented as he looked at the two of them with an amused looks.

"Seem like it." She said trying to keep her discomfort from showing to obviously on her face. _Ravens' mean different things here in Erebor_ , she forced herself to remember. _They are good omens! They are not omens of deaths here!_

She hid within Oin's chamber for as long as she could before ducking out when she heard dwarves approaching.

She thought for a moment of going back to the little side room that she had slept in the past few nights with Thorin, but she found she didn't necessarily want to be alone with him – his face upon hearing about the people of Lake-Town being in Dale and his lack of argument in their defence had twisted a knot deep inside her gut.

 _Avoiding him is not the answer, Bilbo_ , she told herself firmly as she snuck into the room anyway, stealing some blankets from her bed nest and snuck down to the chamber the rest of the company were currently using as a sleeping chamber.

"Eh, lass, there ya are!" Bofur greeted her in relief when she entered the chamber with her buddle of blankets, her pack and a raven sitting on her shoulder.

"We were worrying about ya." The worry was very evident in his face, bless him.

"I, um, needed some air. But look," She said desperate to deflect and not talk about her anger upon the gate, "look what I found." She pointed to the Raven who appeared to be dozing upon her shoulder.

"Where did you find him?" Bombur asked as she wandered over to the pot of stew he was cooking.

"On the balcony above the gate. He was hurt. Um," she felt a frown start to form upon her brow, "shot by an arrow."

Bofur and Bombur looked at her in alarm.

"No dwarf worth his beard would ever do such a heinous thing." Bofur said, running a hand under his hat to rub at his hair.

"Must be the humans." Gloin rumbled from the doorway of the room, his head nodding in a satisfied fashion. His expression quickly changed when he saw the dirty look Bilbo was shooting him.

"Oh, yes, I'm sure Bard with his great love of birds and his ability to speak with them is most definitely going around shooting Ravens for the fun of it." Bilbo retorted sarcastically.

"Could be someone else." Gloin grumbled, ears red.

"Who?'" Bilbo snapped "Bard was the only bowman in Lake-Town."

"That we know of." Dori pointed and cringed a little under Bilbo's ever growing black look.

"These people helped us!" She cried shrilly, "They didn't have too, but they did! And now their town is ruined, they have no food, nowhere to go, and no one here wants to help them."

"They only helped us because we offered them payment." Gloin pointed out with a growl.

"Well, yes." Bilbo agreed, because, well, he wasn't wrong there, "But sometimes you can help others without expecting anything in return, especially if they had nothing to give in exchange AT THIS POINT IN TIME!" She yelled when Gloin looked about to argue.

"Lake-Town is a trading outpost! As soon as spring comes and knowledge that Smaug is dead has crossed all of Middle-Earth, trade will start up again. Do you not want to have a prosperous relationship with Dale and Esgaroth? Do you not want to foster that relationship so that it might flourish again so that all parties benefit from trade and friendship?" She paused for a moment to take a breath before continuing, "By turning our backs on the people of Lake-Town now, will surely make trading with any other town or city of men much, much harder." She heaved a great breath that was almost immediately knocked out of her as Bofur slung an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to his side.

The Raven on her shoulder cawed loudly in protest, flapping his wings to keep him blanced.

"Listen to you," Bofur grinned at her proudly. "Talking like a politician."

"Or a queen." Nori teased to which Bilbo gagged.

"Hardly!" She squeaked, "I just… I think we should help, for so many reasons. It's the right thing to do," she ticked off on her fingers, "it's logical for setting up good relations between a neighbouring kingdoms and…" she looked away, "I feel I must do something to help them, even if I must do so by myself."

"You really gonna give them your gold?" Ori asked softly.

Bilbo nodded.

"I really have no need for treasure, except to see it as pretty trinkets. I am financially secure in the Shire. And if I stay here, well… I will keep enough of the gold that makes up my share to settle myself comfortably, with a garden and books. I would feel better if the gold that is given to the people of Lake-Town is of my share anyway, as it is my..."

"Lass," Bofur sighed heavily at her side, "we told ya, ya can't go blaming yerself for Smaug's attack. Even if ya had not mentioned the barrels as ya did, doesn't mean he wouldn't have still attack the town."

Bilbo simply shook her head as Bofur gave her a tight squeeze.

She ate her dinner in silence, occasionally giving bits of softened meat to the Raven still seated upon her shoulder before curling up under a mountain of blankets at one side of the chamber, the Raven perched on a bracket near to her feet.

It took a long time for sleep to take hold and when it finally did her slumber was neither peaceful nor restful.

* * *

 **26/08/2018 Author's Note:** Hello all, hope you are all having a nice weekend. I haven't been well these last few days, which hasn't necessarily been a bad thing as I have been working on a particular fic that I had thought was all but dead to me. But in the last few days, I felt an urge to continue writing for it and, while I have had moments where progress felt as if it was going to dry up again, after leaving it for an hour or so, the urge returned, so I'm quite pleased really. I know some of you might not have any idea what I'm talking about, but a few of you might who have read this particular Hobbit fic of mine, might.

Now I'm not going to say anymore as I don't want to scare my muse for this fic away, but I don't know, I'm feeling hopeful and maybe I might finish it, and maybe it will be this year. And that's all I'm going to say about it, lol.

Regarding this chapter, yes I did include the Acorn Scene from TBOTFA. I had too! I just had too. It is pretty much my favourite scene from the movie and I just couldn't not have it in here, even if it is the markings of difficult times ahead.

We're steadily moving into the final arc of this fic. We're not quite there yet, there's still some more stuff to happen, but yeah things are moving towards a conclusion.

Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and that you all are having a nice weekend and a good week ahead of you.

Thanks for reading and I will see you next weekend.


	17. Chapter 17

**16/09/2018 Update Author's Note** : So when I posted this chapter originally, I was in a very bad spot when it came to the thumbdrive that all my stories were posted on. Thankfully that particular bad spot has passed, I managed to get all my files off of my very, very sick thumbdrive and now everything is back up in several locations. So YAY. The reason I am re-posting this chapter is because the one I originally posted, was an old, unedited chapter from a back up in June that I threw up in a hissy-fit without actually checking if it was right to go. This chapter is from my thumbdrive and it was a finished version of this chapter. So here is the completed version of Chapter Seventeen.

* * *

 **Chapter Seventeen**

Bilbo stirred in what she could only guess was a pre-dawn hour. No one else was awake in the chamber and the fire had burned low which would explain why she was so cold.

She shivered as she sat and instinctively looked around for Thorin, her heart racing when she couldn't see him among the sleeping bodies of the rest of the company.

Fili and Kili had returned to the company just before she had drifted to sleep, both grumpy and refusing to say much to anyone, but Thorin it seemed had not returned at all.

 _You should not have left him to his own thoughts_ , her Baggins side fretted while her Took side replied with a hiss that she wasn't his keeper. But even if that was true, she regretted not searching him out after all was said and done.

She had been angry but not necessarily at him. Nervous of the sudden change in him that had occurred upon hearing about Lake-Town, yes, definitely, but angry… no, not so much.

She didn't know if he had tried to argue in favour of Lake-Town, she had only heard Fili and Kili's protests over the shouting of the dwarves and she had left so quickly after she had said her piece that she had not heard what had been said in response from Thorin or Dain. The Company had spoken little of it last night; obviously fearing additional talk would only upset her further.

She had overreacted and assumed things regarding a situation she didn't know the full facts of and now she had a missing dwarf on her hands.

 _He's probably with Dain_ , her Baggins side tried to reassure her as Bilbo left the chamber, a blanket thrown over her shoulders like a cloak and the Raven riding once more upon her shoulder.

"Are you going to come with me everywhere now?" She had asked him when he first hopped onto her shoulder.

He had simply looked back at her with intelligent eyes and gave no answer, which Bilbo took as a yes.

She hunted all the spots she knew before finally accepting that Thorin was in one of two places, one of which she really didn't want to go back to and hoped with all her heart that he wasn't and the other... well, she just hoped her memory was good.

She chose to try her second option first and started making the long, winding trip up through the mountain, making a point not to look down when crossing long bridges over deep chasms.

Her hand that was carrying a torch was cramped and tired long before she reach Thorin's bedroom where she saw a light softly flickering beneath the door.

Bracing herself, she knocked.

After a moment there was a thud from within and after another moment, the door opened to reveal a haggard looking Thorin who looked absolutely gobsmacked to see her (and her Raven companion) standing there.

"Billa?" He stared at her with a slightly slack jaw.

"Hello." She replied rather timidly, rubbing the back of her head.

"What are you…" he trailed off and instead pointed to the Raven, "Where did you…?"

"Oh, well, um, you see – I found him yesterday afternoon. He had hurt his wing and now he's making me take him everywhere I go." She made no mention of how the Raven had hurt his wing. That his injury had been caused by an arrow. She didn't need Thorin jumping to the same assumptions as Gloin had.

Thorin blinked a few times before simply nodding, clearly deciding that acceptance of this new bizarre thing that had occurred with his burglar was his best course of action.

If still she was _his_ burglar…

"I'm not sorry for what I said yesterday at the gate." She started slowly when Thorin let her and her Raven into his old chambers, "I want to help the people of Lake-Town and I don't care what anyone says about the matter of me giving them my gold. It's my share, fair and square and I can do what I like with it!" She fidgeted as she spoke, staring down at her hands.

Thorin nodded slowly, hands clenching and unclenching at his side, his face filled with conflicted emotions, a battle of wills raging within his soul.

"Are you angry?" He asked finally causing her to cock her head to one side in mild confusion. She hadn't thought he would ask her if she was, that rather he might try to argue with her about what she wanted done with her share of the immeasurable treasure.

"At you? Or at dwarves in general?" When he gave her no answer, she continued on with a small sigh, "I'm not as angry as I was. From a certain point of view, I suppose I can understand the reluctance to help others who in turn never gave you aid when you needed it most. But… if you can help, if you have the means to help, shouldn't you, despite past history?" She looked up at him with a pained expression.

"I know I'm just a little hobbit who does not know much about the world, and even in the Shire where we have so much to give and yet we can be greedy and not help others, the poor and vulnerable, as much as we should." She pulled a hand through her hair, "and maybe I want to help the people of Lake-Town for simply selfish reasons, to help ease my own conscience over my part in the destruction of their homes."

"You truly believe you are responsible for Smaug's attack?" Thorin asked softly as Bilbo sniffed, rubbing her nose against the back of her hand.

"Yes. Look… I know… I know the others have said that Smaug would have probably attacked Lake-Town even if I hadn't slipped up and mentioned the barrels, but the point is, I _did_ , Thorin! I did slip up and he-he knew!" Tears were rolling down her cheeks with earnest now, "He knew that going to Lake-Town would hurt me! He wanted me to watch them die because he knew I cared about them! So saying that he would have gone to Lake-Town no matter what doesn't matter, because his ultimate decision to attack that night came down to me!"

She buried her face into her hands and started to sob, the heartbreak within her chest being almost unbearable.

The Raven on her shoulder croaked softly in sympathy. However his croak of sympathy quickly turned into a squawk of alarm when Bilbo was pulled bodily into the arms of her dwarf, pressing her shaking, sobbing body against his chest as he held her close, rubbing her back and hair.

"Oh Billa." He mumbled against her hair.

"Don't-don't try to tell me it isn't my fault. Please, _please_ , I don't want to hear that." She sniffed against his tunic. "I just want to fix it. Just let me fix this… or at least, let me _try_. I can't give them back their love ones or their homes. I can't take away the horror they must have faced during the attack but I can help them rebuild their homes and start new lives. _Please_ , I have to do something or I'll…" she waved a hand wildly around her as she squeezed her eyes shut as sobs racked her body.

"Do what you will with the gold," Thorin said softly, though there was a hint of an almost strangled note to his tone and when Bilbo looked up at him, she could see the war battling within him in his brilliant blue eyes. "It is yours to as you please."

She sagged against him, relief filling her up from the ends of her hairy toes to the very tips of her pointed ears..

"Thank you." She mumbled. Thorin let out a strangled sort of snort.

"I should be apologizing," He said with closed eyes, "for making you fight so hard for what you have rightfully earnt. You should not have to ask my permission to do what you wish with gold that is part of your share of the treasure." His tone was full of self-loathing.

"Thorin." She touched his cheek gently.

"I lost myself to the sickness yesterday." He admitted with disgust, "I do not know for how long and what ill might have come of my sickness ridden state. I only started to stir when I discovered I could not find you. I woke fully when I finally did and you were with the company and they would not let me wake you. I feared I had done something terrible." He looked at her with a fearful expression.

"No, you did nothing terrible, not to me. You… frighten me, when the sickness took hold and I-I didn't know how to react or what to do and… then I just got angry, with dwarves for not opening their hearts to Lake-Town, so I did what I have always done. I ran… I ran away from the gate and the problems that lay there. I ran away from you. And for that I am sorry."

"You cannot be expected to be the one to hold back the darkness that lives inside of me, Dear Heart." Thorin rumbled softly, "I must learn to do that myself."

Bilbo opened her mouth to protest but Thorin silenced her with a gentle touch to her cheek.

"I know that I need the help of others to truly conquer this sickness that is festering inside of me, but it is not your job to fix me, that is something in the end only I can do myself."

"And you will." Bilbo replied, "You will. And I will help, as will the others, in any way we can."

"As I said before, all those weeks ago in Lake-Town," He a soothing finger down her cheek as she winced, "Stay by my side that is all I can ask."

"I think I can manage that." She smiled softly up at him and watched indescribable relief cross his tired, grey tinged face.

"But if I…" the relief disappeared and his expression became incredibly sombre, "If I ever become a threat, to you…"

"Thorin…"

"No, Billa, listen to me. If I ever loss myself to this sickness and you see no chance of my returning to my sanity, you must leave. You must! I will not have any harm come to you by my hands. Promise me."

She stared up at him a little frighten by his desperation and intensity, her mind conjuring up the memory of him telling her of his terrifying nightmare of almost killing Dwalin with his sword and strangling her with his bare hands.

"I… I promise. But…" she cut him off when he started to let out a relieved sigh. "I'm only promising you this because you believe you need to hear it, not because I think that this will ever actually come to pass. You will not lose yourself to this Thorin. You are far too stubborn."

He let out a barking laugh at that, though there was a sadness interlaced within it.

"I wish I had your faith."

"That's alright," Bilbo reassured him softly, "I have enough faith for both of us."

* * *

 **9/09/2018 Author's Note:** Hi everyone, so I am suffering from a writers worse nightmare, one that is even could be considered even worse than having writers block.

I have severely hurt, if not killed the thumb-drive that holds this story and every other story I have ever written on it (and no, despite my job being in IT support, I do not practice what I preach and back things up every week or month, because I am an idiot!). The reason I can post this chapter is because I did a copy of this story on to my laptop when I went to China to work on it... and that was in June. I have written an awful lot for this story since then... and it's, all of it, is possibly just gone. I'm going to take my thumb-drive to a computer repair place tomorrow and you know, hope and pray for the best because as I said, it has everything I have ever written on it and I got admit, it's really hurting at the moment, having it all gone. I can't even begin to describe how much I hurt and yet feel empty over this. I may seem to be being bit melodramatic about it but, it hurts, everything, so badly right now. And given I'm doing a job at the moment that I really dislike and writing was my only escape and now I haven't got that, the stuff that was making me happy and helping me cope, it really, really sucks.

So, I don't know, depending on whether or not I can get it all back, um, I'll update with the chapters I have on this laptop, but otherwise, I don't know. I'm not really motivated to write everything I have lost, so this fic might just be put into hiatus. If that happens, and hopefully it won't, but it if it does I would just like to thank you all for taking the time to read this fic. A huge thank you to those of you who have left comments/reviews (once, twice, on multiple chapters) and sent me PM, you have really made this story easier to write.

So yeah, um, that's all .

Hope you enjoyed and maybe see you next weekend happier because I got my stuff back or you know, not at all.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

"Thorin!"

Thorin was pulled from his thoughts as he and Balin poured over old trade documents. The documents weren't exactly a priority but Thorin needed something as tedious as this to keep his mind from twisting into a sickly gold mess.

Balin thankfully seemed to understand his need and went about chattering about how they needed to re-connect this trade route with Rohan and this one with Gondor and it really would be a good idea to try and make amends with Thranduil so they might use his roads through Mirkwood instead of having to go hundreds of leagues around either side of the rather large forest. Thorin had simply grunted at that suggestion.

He saw the sense in it of course, it was just the having to deal with Thranduil in any capacity that had him baulking at the idea.

"Thorin!"

The call came again and it was little more urgent.

Thorin and Balin looked at each other as Dain and Dwalin burst into old Records Chamber, followed closely by his nephews who were both looking nervous.

"What? What is it?" Thorin asked as he stretched his back. From behind a shelf, Ori stuck his head out, his eyes wide and curious.

"Fuckening elves." Was Dain's straight not beating around the bush response.

Thorin blinked at him, not fully comprehending what had his cousin so riled.

"While I agree with that statement completely, I don't understand why…"

"In Dale!" Dwalin growled pinching his nose, "Whole fuckening army of them."

Thorin blinked again and then felt his mouth simply drop.

"But-but Bilbo's there! And Nori, Bofur and Bifur!" Ori squeak as he dropped his armful of old scrolls back onto a dusty shelf.

Thorin felt his heart stagger and then skip a beat at the thought of Billa falling into the hands of Thranduil.

It would not take the elf-king long to figure out who she was and what part she played in their escaping his prison. Not with her being accompanied by three of the escaped dwarves.

The sickness within him roared into life and it took all his self-control not to let it overtake him.

"She'll be fine." He forced himself to say. "She has gotten herself out of sticker spots than this. And the bowman is… he is fond of her. He will not let her come to harm."

Balin clasped his arm and with that they departed the Records Chamber for the Gate.

And sure enough, when Thorin looked out towards Dale as he stood upon the barricaded gate, all he saw was lines upon line of armoured elves standing upon the walls of Dale, all armoured, all prepared for war.

Thorin's mouth twitched in rage.

"Why are they here?" Kili was hissing from Fili's side, his injured arm cradled close against his chest, "What do they want?"

"Gold." Was the response his nephew received and caused the boy let out a growl of frustration.

"But…but…"

"There is…" Balin said slowly, "something else that they might be after. Something that would drive Thranduil to bring his army to take it from us by force."

Thorin grimaced in the memory of what Balin was referring to.

 _The White Gems of Lasgalen._

"Those," Thorin said quietly, his tone brittle and filled with barely controlled rage, "were never properly paid for."

"Matters little if they were or were not, not when he has an army ready and willing to attack the mountain." Balin replied a hand pressed firmly to Thorin's arm, as if to try and ground his furious thoughts.

"And so we should simply give them to him, freely as he bullies us into submission." Thorin snarled.

"But are we?" Fili asked softly, "Are we giving them freely when innocent lives are at stack? Bilbo is there, as are Bofur, Bifur and Nori. Thranduil will know who she is by now, because she is with them. He will know that it was she who stole the keys to our cells and got us out of his realm by the barrels. Isn't their safety worth more than some useless elf gems that we would never use in our own jewellery crafting?"

Thorin felt wave of fury surge through him in direction his nephew, who drew himself up as tall as he could and continued to meet him directly in the eye. And so the rage faded as quickly as it had come and he pinched the bridge of his nose as he breathed heavily through his mouth.

"That is all they will get." He growled from deep within his chest, "nothing else. If they want for more than they shall have war."

Fili gave a jerky sort of nod.

"Aye Cousin," Dain rumbled in agreement as he scowled in the direction of Dale, "as much as I wanna wallop the arse off those point-y ear fairies, probably best to try and keep it friendly. But keep it in mind, they started this, bringing an army like that to our front door. Don't ya go giving them too much leeway, eh?"

Thorin nodded slowly, his nails digging into the stonework as he stared at the ruined city of Dale and worried over his hobbit and those of the company who had gone with her.

 **888**

Bilbo had to admit she was more than a little uncomfortable walking into Dale, the weight of her guilt sitting heavily in her gut.

The burnt remains of Dale long dead citizens did nothing but cause her guilt to twist all the more tightly in her chest at the thought of the newly burnt remains that must be littering the ruins of Lake-Town.

The people of Lake-Town looked at her in surprise and some with suspicion as she, Bofur, Bifur and Nori moved towards the centre of town where she was hoping they would find whoever was now leading the people of Lake-Town.

 _Please let it be Bard_ , She thought, _please, please, please…_

"And what," a nasal voice sneered, catching hold of her arm tightly, causing for Raven to croak loudly in protest, flapping his uninjured wing, "do ya think ya doing here?"

"Oi!" Bofur yelled just as Bifur smack his spear against the stomach of Bilbo's would-be attacker, knocking him the ground.

"Look! Look!" the snivelling little man shrieked, "I'm being attacked by the dwarves! They have come to take what little we have left!"

"Aye, Alfrid." Bilbo looked up to see a very tired-looking Bard striding towards them from a building that might have once been a shop, followed closely by a man with long grey hair, "three dwarves and a half," he paused as he shot her a quick apologetic look – which Bilbo took as a good sign that no hard feelings were being held too strongly regarding her basically sending a dragon to reign terror and destruction upon their town – as he corrected himself, "a hobbit truly have the capacity to take what little we have left."

The tall man rolled his eyes. "Off with you, back to your master and bother no one else on your way there."

Alfrid scowled first at Bard then at her before he sulked off down a snow covered street.

"Hello." Bilbo said feeling a wave of shyness roll through her.

"Hello." He gave her a smile weary smile, "It is good to see you all alive."

"And you." Bilbo said softly, her heart twisting painfully in her chest.

"Hope you are not here to be asking for any more favours," Bard continued as he motion for them to follow him into the building that he and the elderly fellow had just exited from moments before.

"For as you can see," He waved a vague hand at his people scrambling to put together a meagre amount of suppliers and provisions that they had been able to cobble together from their ruined town. "We are struggling as it is to keep ourselves fed."

"No," Bilbo shook her head, "that is not why we're here."

"Oh?" Bard looked a little taken aback. "Then…"

She pulled the bag from her back and gently set it upon the wooden table in front of Bard, the bag clinking as she set it down. Her dwarves did the same with the bags they carried.

"I know gold is little comfort for the horrors you have seen and-and the lives that you have lost, but… it can help you rebuild and get you and your people food."

She stared down at her hands as she spoke, as Bard opened one of the bags and dug out a handful of coins.

"More is to come, of course." She squeaked out when Bard remained silent for what felt like a life-time. "I just… I wanted it to be shown that Thorin is good and true to his word.

"You mean, you are." Bard said as he dropped his hand and the coins fell back into the bag.

Bilbo gave him a hard look that the tall man simply returned with a tired knowing smile.

"Thank you." He said softly as he closed the bags back up again. "This… this will help."

She gave him a tentative smile.

She opened her mouth to say more when they all froze at the sounds of yelling.

"What now?" Bard groaned as he grabbed up a sword – Bilbo wondered what became of his bow before thinking better on it – before he all but leapt from the building.

"We should go." Nori said at Bilbo's elbow, his dark eyes darting around. "Now!"

"What? Why?" Bilbo squeaked as she was ushered from the ruined shop.

"Because I heard whose coming." Nori said as he started pushing her down the street of the destroyed town back towards the mountain. "And he won't be too happy in letting us leave if he finds us."

"Who?"

Her question was quickly answered by the appearance of elves marching up the street towards them.

Her dwarves swore heavily as the elves proceeded to block their path and forced them back up to the centre of town.

"Are they… invading?" Bilbo stumbled slightly over the word.

"Not Dale." Nori growled, "Their eyes are not on Dale."

"Erebor." Bilbo said softly, her shoulders sagging a little.

"And they're trying to buy the people of Lake-Town's support with food." Nori continued when a cart burden high with food came rolling into the town square.

"Well, to be fair," Bilbo mumbled, "I know which I'd choose." She heard Bifur grunt softly behind her in agreement.

"That's because ya a hobbit and ya think only of your stomach." Bofur teased while Bilbo stuck out her tongue back at him.

She and her dwarves stood silently as Thranduil came riding into square upon a magnificent elk.

"My Lord Thranduil." Bard was calling his tone sounding absolutely gobsmacked as he slowly approached the elf, "We did not look to see you here."

"Ain't that tha truth." She heard Bofur and Nori huff from her side.

"I heard you were in need of aid." Thranduil replied in a silky cold voice.

"You have saved us! I do not how to thank you." Bard gapped and Bilbo felt a little pang in her chest for not being able to do more. Gold was helpful to rebuild again, but without food to give people strength to do so…

"Your gratitude is misplaced." Thranduil's cold voice pulled Bilbo from her thoughts and caused her to frown at his words, "I did not come on your behalf. I came to reclaim something of mine."

"Prick." Nori hissed under his breath, while Bilbo was simply floored by his rudeness. She had seen him be rude to the dwarves, to Thorin in particular and even to his own subjects – the pretty red head that Kili was so fond of – but she hadn't thought he would be quite so dismissive to people who had clearly suffered great loss and trauma.

"There are gems in the mountain that I too desire. White gems of pure starlight."

"The Arkenstone?" Bilbo panicked her hand unconsciously moving to her secret pocket where the stone lay.

"Nah," Nori snorted, "he's talking of some shitty elvish gems. Point-y eared prick wouldn't know a real gem if it was shoved up his snotty nose."

Bilbo felt herself relax only to feel the panic surge through her again when she saw Thranduil directing his heavily armoured troops towards Erebor.

"Wait! Please," She heard Bard yell as he raced after Thranduil like she and the dwarves were doing, "Wait! You would go to war over a handful of gems?"

"The heirlooms of my people are not lightly forsaken." Thranduil paused for a moment in thought, "You also have a claim on some of wealth within that mountain, do you not? We are allies in this, you and I."

Bard seemed only to be able to shake his head, words appearing to fail him for the moment.

"NO!" Bilbo shrieked, bounding forward despite the cries of the others. She shook off the hand Bifur had tried to catch her wrist with.

Thranduil's head snapped in her direction his pale blue eyes narrowing as his bodyguards immediately readied their bows.

"If I'm not mistaken, this is the Halfling who stole the keys to my dungeons from under the nose of my guards."

Bilbo felt her cheeks immediately burn while she scuffed her foot against the cold ground.

How did he know about her? Had the elves chasing after them and the orcs really taken that much notice of her to report back to their king?

"Yes," Her nose twitched as she looked uncomfortably away from the elf, "Sorry bout that."

"No ya ain't." Bofur huffed and Bilbo remembered exactly who she was talking to and realised that indeed, she wasn't the least bit sorry at all.

"He's right, I'm not." She took another step forward and scowled at the fact that she was being forced to continually crane her head further backwards so as to maintain eye contact with the arrogant ice king.

"Would you mind getting down from your elk?" She asked in a honey sweet voice, "It's just I am rather small already and it is quite hurting my neck looking up at you on that majestic creature."

"And why would I do that?" The elf king asked his tone hard

"So that we might have a civilised conversation, of course." Bilbo replied her tone innocently bewildered. "And because it rather looks as if you are more interested in starting a war with thirteen dwarves than you are in resolving this peacefully. Which I am certain was not your intention at all, what with you being a benevolent king and the heavily armoured elves you have brought here, to Dale, days after Smaug was killed by that very brave man over there, was purely an act of one being overly caution to leaving his realm for the first time in quite a while and not, in fact, an instigation of war."

She heard the sounds of sniggers from her dwarves and even Bard and several Lake-Town people grinned.

Thranduil's face harden for a moment before, to Bilbo rather great surprise and delight, he swung down from his elk and stood in front of her. Her neck still ached from being forced to crane backwards to look him properly in the face.

"I believe you feel as if you have much discuss with me." He said in a cool tone that made Bilbo feel small and want to scamper away.

"Indeed, I believe we do have much to discuss."

" _Indeed_!"

They all jumped. Well of course not the elves, but the humans, dwarves and little hobbit who stood in the square did at the Master's loud and unexpected yell as he hobbled to stand in front of Bilbo, brushing her aside without a glance. Alfrid shot a sneering smirk at her as she staggered back into Bifur, who caught her before she could fall to the ground.

"Greetings my lord!" The Master hailed, bowing his huge baulk before staggering upright again. "Please accept my most humble of apologizes for having to deal with such," he sniffed in Bard's direction before outright glaring down in, " _people_."

Bilbo glanced back at Thranduil to try and ascertain the elf king's feelings over the matter, but he seemed to be as cold and as hard to read as ever. However, despite her rather great dislike of the elf, she could not quite stop the grin that pulled at her mouth with his next words.

"And you would be?" The elf king drawled, disinterest painted into every word he spoke.

The Master floundered for a moment, before shoving his chest forward to make himself appear… taller? Larger? Bilbo was not at all certain what affect the overweight ugly man was trying for but he was not succeeding.

"I am the Master of Lake-Town and Lord of this once grand city."

"Ex _cuse_ you?" Bilbo couldn't stop from squeaking.

The Master shot her an ugly look before continuing on.

"Word has come to my ears that you are after a claim within the mountain. If we were to join forces we would easily…" he shot her and the dwarves a nasty look, "remove the dwarves from within. I see you have already caught three of them and…" he sneered down at her, "the whore."

Bilbo blinked as she reeled a little back at the term being thrown at her face.

"Whatcha say?" Bofur roared as Nori slipped forward with such incredible speed, knocking the feet the Master out from under him as he let out a squeal of shock and fear as he crumbled to the ground, a knife to his throat before anyone could react or stop him.

"Ya wanna say that again, ya pathetic worm?" Nori asked almost pleasantly as his knife pressed against the rolls of fat that made up the Master's neck.

"Nori, NO!" Bilbo cried, "Let him go! He's just an evil little man desperate to retain what little power he has left!"

"Power," Bilbo continued as she stared directly into the red and weepy eyes of the despicable Master, "he knows he is losing with every minute."

"What lies you speak!" The Master shouted as Nori released him, his dark eyes dancing as brightly as the winter-y light upon his blade.

"Am I lying?" Bilbo asked. "I think not."

"Ignore her, my Lord!" The Master gasped as he crawled to his feet with Alfrid's half-hearted help. "She knows not what she says. Let us away to my chambers where we can discuss further the benefits our forces allying against the dwarves and the rebuilding of my great city."

"But it's not yours." Bilbo replied watching as Thranduil's eyes shifted back to her, a vague hint of interest in his ancient eyes. His bored, disinterested expression however did not change. "This city is not yours to rule."

"I," The Master snapped his face burning red with rage, "Am the Master of Lake-Town and I…"

"Indeed, you are the Master of Lake-Town, though if I read the old accords in the house you so kindly rented to us during our first stay, it is an elected position, is it not? While Dale was ruled by a monarchy. And," She smiled very sweetly, "I seem to remember you proudly claiming when we first met, that you did not have a single drop of Dale's monarchy blood in your veins, freeing you of all guilt that another held for the perceived sins of one's ancestor."

"That… that…."

"And given that the person who was being held guilty of his ancestor's crimes – which just so we are all clear, was the fact that he failed to kill Smaug sixty years go despite all best efforts – has now killed said dragon his ancestor was shamed for not killing, I rather think the crown of Dale falls onto the head of Bard, don't you all agree?"

The silence of the town square was almost deafening as humans and dwarves alike gawked at her in disbelief.

Thranduil looked almost… amused, while his elves remained stonily silent.

"All hail King Bard the Dragonslayer, great grandson of King Girion of Dale." She proclaimed so all in the square could hear as she stared at Bard who was staring back at her with a shocked expression, while all around them the people of Lake-Town started to cheer.

 _Or are they the people of Dale now I wonder…._

"You… you…" The Master spluttered his eyes bulging his face almost purple with fury as he pointed an accusing finger at her, spit flying everywhere.

"Oh, aye, that's her, the lass that beat ya" Nori said pointing his knife at the repulsive man, "now get away from 'er and crawl back into the hole ya crawled out of."

"Oi, yer his little toady," Bofur shouted at Alfrid who had been trying to slink away into the cheering crowd that had gathered around Bard, "ya take him."

The three dwarves shoved the still pathetically spluttering Master at Alfrid who yelped when The Master almost fell upon him in his pathetic state.

"Poor Bard." Bilbo mumbled to herself as she looked at the poor bowman whose expression was one of being utterly overwhelmed by what was happening around him.

"Eh, and yet meh thinks ya had this all planned out, somehow." Bofur said as he gently elbowed her in her ribs.

"I mean, well…" She stammered blushing a little as The Raven croaked cheerfully upon her shoulder, "Obviously I didn't know any of this would happened, but I… I guessed I hoped that somehow, something would occur that would help to restore Bard to his rightful birthright. I just wish it hadn't been him having to kill a dragon that was destroying his home."

Her dwarves shook their heads, laughing loudly. They fell silent however as did the cheering townsfolk when Thranduil took another step towards the hobbit.

"It seems I may have underestimated your cleverness." The Elf King said coolly, "Maybe you can succeed where others have failed and reason with a mad dwarf king."

"He isn't mad." Bilbo said in a low and furious voice that still managed to somehow echo around the town square.

Thranduil raised a silvery eyebrow at her in an almost surprised fashion.

"Indeed." He replied, before nodding for a group of his elven army to start assembling a tent in the middle of the town square.

The whole process of assembling and then adding in furniture took all of ten minutes. Bilbo might not like them, but she couldn't fault the elves of their efficiency to get things done.

"Come," Thranduil said waving arm grandly to Bard and Bilbo, "we have much to discuss."

Bilbo hesitated for a moment before, with an encouraging push from Nori she followed after Thranduil and Bard into the tent, her dwarves close behind her.

* * *

 **16/09/2018 Author's Note:** I was worried that this chapter might never be posted, what with the near death of my thumb-drive last weekend. But after a lot of stress and running around, I as able to get all my files off my poor, faithful thumb-drive (which is all but useless now. It had major surgery and has no casing and wires attached to it and will probably be going into a picture frame as a reminder to never be so complacent with my writing and backing up again. That and it was such a good little USB stick and I can't bring myself to simply toss it away. It really is useless, but all the same, I will keep it on sentimental grounds.) and onto a new thumb-drive (and another a back up, and there's also two other backups on a server and on my big pc. So yeah, we're covered). I was very, so very lucky. I can't even begin to describe the relief that having everything back has given me, especially with the family stuff that is brewing around me at the moment, which could go very badly or we could be ok... too early to really know yet.

Just an FYI, I have updated Chapter 17 with the fully completed chapter that was on my thumb-drive, replacing the chapter that I had simply posted that was from my June back up. It has few extra things in it, but nothing to major that effects the story, so you don't have to reread it if you don't wish too.

Thanks for reading.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

 _White gems made of pure starlight. The White Gems of Lasgalen. And are apparently worth enough to want to start a war over,_ Bilbo thought a rather bitterly as she and her dwarves, accompanied by Bard leading a horse, walked down the dusty road that led to the main gate of Erebor.

"If I get these gems," She asked no one in particular, "do you really believe it will be enough to stop Thranduil from starting a war with Thorin?"

"If he continues on with his plan to war with Erebor," Bard replied softly as he strode beside her, catching himself every so often when his pace became too long for the hobbit and dwarves to keep up with, "my people will have no part in it. We have no interest in war."

"And ya getting what ya want from us already." Nori pointed out with a knowing smile.

"NO _RI_!" Bilbo hissed, smacking the arm of the thief.

"Oi," Nori said easily brushing her hands away, "Imma just saying how it is. If we hadn't given them the gold, they'd be joining with the point-y eared prick faster than ya could snap ya fingers. No offense." Nori said with another grin in Bard's direction to which the bowman simply return with a dour look.

"Some taken." He retorted before letting out a small sigh, "But aye, it might have been harder to dissuade some from joining Thranduil's cause if you had not brought forth some of the gold owed."

"Oh… well, that's good to know." Bilbo squeaked, hugging her arms tightly around herself at the thought of having both the elves and the humans after the dwarves blood.

"You did set a dragon down upon our town." Bard pointed out, though his tone was gentle.

"Yes," Bilbo stared down at her feet, "I know. I am truly sorry for that."

"Aye," Bofur added remorsefully, "We tried everything we could ta kill him inside the mountain."

"Aye," Bard agreed, "I can believe that. We could feel the crashes of stone against stone from the lake for hours before Smaug appeared. How none of you were killed…" he trailed off with a shake of his head in amazement.

Bilbo let a hysterical sort giggle because she was also rather amazed by this fact too.

They walked on in silence until they were in full view of the gate, which was lined with dwarves, fully armoured and ready to fight.

"Is it simply me, or do they seem to be spoiling for a fight too?" Bard asked with a hint of hesitation in his tone.

"I think only with the elves. Not with you or your people." Bilbo replied quickly, desperate to reassure.

"They've fenced themselves in fairly tightly." Bard said nodding to the huge solid stones that were blocking up the gate.

"Given that there is an army of elves standing in wait in your city, do you truly blame them?" Bilbo asked and Bard, after a moment shook his head, though his expression was grim.

"I cannot turn them away." He said softly as he looked at her. "They have brought us food and…"

"That's fine," Nori answered for her, "just as long as they stay on yer side of the city and not come onto any of Erebor's lands."

"I will see if that can be agreed to… though I doubt he will agree to anything unless…"

"I get him the gems, yes, I know. He was very final about that point. Are you happy to wait here while I see if I can't duck in, talk with Thorin and find the gems? I'll try and be as quick as I can be."

"You truly think you will be able to convince him to simply give them over?"

"To avoid a senseless war? I'm hoping with all my heart that that is the case." She looked up at the gate and sure enough, she saw her dwarf king leaning over, staring straight at her.

She waved cheerily back at him, and though she wasn't expecting a wave back from him, she got waves from the boys and triumphant yells from other members of her company.

"Then I shall wait for your return Mistress Baggins."

"Thank you, King Bard." She replied with a sly little smile that had the tall bowman groan.

"I don't know whether to thank you or despise you for that." He said as he rubbed his face.

"It is your birthright." Bilbo said solemnly, "you killed Smaug, your family shame has been lifted and you are now free to rule Dale, as you were born to do."

"I…" Bard looked away with a pained expression back towards Dale, "I am no King. I don't even know how to be a King. I…"

"Ya a good leader." Bofur said, "ya think of yer people b'fore yer self, doing the best by them even when tha best is harder than what is easy."

"Ya don't need grand clothes and big palaces to be a king." Nori continued, "Just gotta be a leader, loyal and true, to those who follow him. Don't try to be what ya think a king is, just be tha man ya already are. That's tha man, tha king, yer people need right now."

Bard nodded, his face still holding hints of uncertainty but there also appeared to be something of confidence start to build in his dark brown eyes.

Bifur reached up and slapped the tall man in a comforting manner against his elbow that almost sent him flying.

It seemed that the easy display being shown on the ground towards Bard was calming the armoured dwarves on the gate, who while not lowering their weapons, seemed to be breathing easier.

"Hail Thorin," Bard called as he, the hobbit and the three dwarves came to a stop at the stone bridge leading to Erebors gate, "Son of Thrain! We are glad to find you alive beyond hope."

"Bard, Dragonslayer" Thorin called back, "your presence here with members of my company leads me to believe you have accepted the gold offered and have not… joined with the elves."

"That would be correct." Bilbo called in response, "But the elves…" she tapped her pointer fingers together uncomfortably, "They um, well it's more Thranduil really… he's after um, _The White Gems of Lasgalen_?"

Even from the distance she stood, she saw Thorin face twitch and figured that those gems were indeed a sore spot shared between the elves and dwarves.

"Anything else?" Thorin asked in a caged done.

Bilbo shook her head.

"He mention nothing more than the gems."

"And I suppose he wants them brought to him by…"

"Me," She replied with a nonchalant shrug, "I'm good enough, so there is no need for any dwarf prides to be hurt. Now may we come up and have this conversation face to face, my neck is hurting from having to look up at tall folk all day." She paused and then looked at Bard who was leading against his horse with a grin. "No offense."

"Oh," Bard laughed, "none taken Mistress Baggins. I will see you shortly."

"Yes you will." Bilbo agreed as she hopped over rocks and boulders to where a rope ladder had been dropped for her and the company to climb up onto the top of the gate.

She was caught at the top by Thorin who pulled her straight into his shaking arms. The Raven croaked and flapped his wings as he tried to keep a firm hold upon her shoulder.

"I'm fine. Honestly, I am fine."

"She did better than fine, she worked the whole bloody thing in our favour." Nori chimed in as he jumped lightly to the top of the wall.

"Indeed? And how did the Halfling manage that?" She heard Lord Ordor, one of Dain's chief advisors and the father of Thorin's old betrothal growl as he glared at her with distaste.

"Oh ya know," Bofur said with a shrugged and cheery smiled, "got rid of one pain in the arse, dealt with another, got a good man named king, all it a day's work for our lassie!"

"What?" Thorin asked looking down at her questioningly.

Bilbo patted his shoulder.

"I'll tell you later. Now my day isn't actually complete until I get those stupid gems to the elf king still threatening to start a war at dawn if I don't." She let out annoyed huff before looking up at Thorin.

"Are they easy enough to get or do we have to hunt for them?" She grimaced at the idea of going into Smaug's bedroom to try and find ' _gems made of pure starlight'_.

She didn't think she would be so lucky twice with finding rare gem stones in that awful, awful room.

"No," Thorin said, his tone strained, "we do not need to go hunting. I know where they are."

"Can I have them?" She asked softly, "Can I claim them as part of my fourteenth share and give them to Thranduil?" she heard growls of outrage around her but she didn't stop looking at Thorin.

"And if I were to say no, you would find them anyway and take them to him." Thorin replied with a fond look though his voice was still strained.

"Yes, I would. But I would not be happy about doing it." she looked at him and at the rest of her company and at the Iron Hill dwarves who lined the gate, "I would have you all and this mountain safe, and fighting a war with the elves purely over some white gems seems silly and pointless and not worth losing lives over. Let me take the stuck-up elf king his gems so that he can go away back to his woodland realm that he is so desperate to keep the rest of the world out of."

She could feel the dwarves around her hesitate, all except the two boys who were vibrating with an eager energy as they sidled to stand by her and their uncle.

She took one look at their smug faces and grinned.

"You have the gems already, don't you, you beastly boys!" She growled in mock outrage as the she received twin mischievous grins. "How long were you going to make me ask for them before you handed them over?"

"Only for a little bit longer." Kili grinned while Fili pulled a soft leather bag from his pocket and handed it to her.

"Were you in on this?" Bilbo turned to their uncle with a somewhat put out expression.

Thorin at least had the decency to look a little shame-faced.

"I told them to find the gems, in the case that yours, Nori, Bofur and Bifur's lives were in danger and we needed to negotiate quickly."

"Well, while our lives are not in immediate danger right now, they will be at dawn. Thranduil was rather specific about when he wanted these and what actions he would take if he did not receive them." She scowled, "He truly is awful! I'm starting to wish I had stolen more than just the keys to your cells. Though I think I may have hurt his pride when I successfully got you all out, which may be why he is so prickly with me."

She felt Thorin's hand upon her arm, could feel the way it shook as she made for the rope ladder.

"I'll be fine." She promised, "The sooner I go, the sooner I'm back. And I will have Bard with me, and the Raven." She pointed the Raven who had remain steadfast upon her shoulder for the past day or so.

The Raven croaked in agreement and seemed to be trying to stand taller upon her shoulder with his chest puffed out proudly.

"Someone impartial should go with the Halfling, to make sure the deal is no more or less than what she says it is." Ordor griped.

"Oh for Mahal's sake!" Dain growled before Thorin had a chance to say something he might regret. "ya and yer paranoia Ordor! Fine! Oi, Kathra! Get over here and escort the little burglar back to the elf prick so that she can give him his gems and he get the fuck out of 'ere, aye?"

Bilbo watched as a tall dwarrowdam stepped forward, her heavily tattooed face glistened a rich brown colour in the afternoon sun, a spear clutched in her hand ready for any action that might dare to think about appearing before her.

"Of course my lord." The dwarrowdam said with a slight incline of her head to Dain and then a full bow to Thorin.

"Are you ready to leave now little hobbit?" the very impressive Kathra asked and Bilbo gave her one of her bright nervous smiles that were an unfortunate habit of hers that she simply could not break and occurred whenever she felt anxious or worried about something or someone. Thorin had been a frequent receiver of this particular smile in the early days of the quest when he used to send her nerves over the deep-end simply by glancing in her general direction.

"Um, ah, yes, I suppose so. Yes, yes, I am ready." She squeaked as she gave a jerky sort of nod.

Kathra nodded in return and gestured for Bilbo to climb down the rope ladder first.

"Keep her safe." Bilbo heard Thorin growl softly to the dwarrowdam guard who in return swore on her life that she would return Bilbo safely to Erebor.

Bilbo huffed as she clambered down the rope rigging.

"All is well?" Bard asked when she wandered over to him with her new dwarf guard.

"Yes, yes. All is fine. Um, Kathra," She looked at the dwarrowdam who was eying Bard in a cold calculating fashion, "This is Bard the Slayer of Smaug, new king of Dale," That got a raised eyebrow but nothing else from the dwarrowdam, "Bard, this is Kathra, captain of Lord Dain's private guard. She will be accompanying us to meet with King Thranduil to ensure my safety and to be an impartial witness to my dealings with him."

Human and dwarf nodded to each other.

"I was going to offer we ride back, but…" Bard said looking a little guilty as he turned his horse around as the three started making their way back to Dale.

"You may ride if you would like Mistress Baggins." Kathra comment her face as neutral as ever.

"No, it's fine. And hardly seems fair if I rode and you did not. I actually prefer walking. Never could find my riding legs. Hopeless actually. I lost count of how many times I almost fell off my pony that first day. I think Thorin was all but a breath away from having Gandalf send me back to Bag End, he was so fed up with me." She babbled unable to bear the silence that had fallen upon the three of them.

"And yet, here you are." Kathra responded with a polite tilt of her head in Bilbo's direction, an indication that she had listened to everything Bilbo had babbled.

"Here I am." Bilbo agreed as she turned around to wave back at Erebor. She couldn't make out the faces still standing on the gate but she knew from the number it was the company, most of whom returned her wave.

"You are an interesting little thing." Kathra mused as Bilbo turned back to facing Dale.

"I'm not really." Bilbo disagreed with a shake of her head, "Interesting that is. I am simply a hobbit who happens to keep finding herself in interesting places, facing remarkable situations."

"And yet you caught our king's eye."

"Yes, well…" Bilbo paused biting her lip, her hand resting upon the stone sitting heavily in her pocket, "Do not ask me how, for I do not know myself."

Kathra continued to side-eye her for a long moment before looking away without another word.

Bilbo glanced up at Bard who simply shrugged.

 **888**

To say Thranduil seemed amazed when Bilbo presented him not only with the gems stone he desired but the necklace that had been commissions as well was something of an understatement.

The elf almost seemed to stagger out of his make-shift throne when Bilbo gently poured the gems and necklace onto the table in the centre of his tent.

"How-how did you come to…" He stared at the gems with an almost overwhelming look of pain and loss that made Bilbo wonder if the gems worth were more than simply being heirlooms of his people.

Had the gems, or rather the necklace, been meant for someone dear to him? Someone that had been lost?

"Thorin is not his grandfather, or his father," She responded slowly, "he is not the mad king that you would like others to believe. He would have traded these gems to you without you marching an army to his door."

"Would he have, truly?" Thranduil said pulling his gaze from the gems, his expression sceptical.

"Only if you had asked very nicely of course." Bilbo replied with a sweet as honey smile, "You did after all throw him and our companion unjustly into your dungeons, without a fair trial."

"You had entered my lands without my permission and encouraged spiders to trespass further into my domain. I was well within my rights as king to incarcerate your friends, as it is my duty to protect my people."

From outside the tent, there were the sounds of a commotion, yelling and arguing and with a heavy sigh, Bard exited the tent with a forlorn look. Bilbo, Thranduil and Kathra watched him leave in silence before Bilbo started speaking hotly.

"Yes, because thirteen dwarves and a hobbit, all of whom were on the brink of starvation and poisoned by spider venom are such a threat to elven city." Bilbo drawled arms crossed while Raven gave a croaking laugh.

"Anyway, that's all in the past." She continued as she watch Thranduil's face grow dark and moody, "what is important is the present and the future. You have your gems. I have fulfilled mine and the dwarves end of the deal, now it is your turn to fulfil yours. Send your army away. There is no war to be had on the morrow with my dwarves!"

"Is that so?" Thranduil drawled as he returned to lounging in his throne.

"Yes!" Bilbo snapped, "Keep your promise and leave! Or at least turn your army away from Erebor. By keeping them station as they are, facing the mountain you are all but declaring war and the dwarves are well within their rights to respond in kind. And they will! They will fight to the death to defend their own. And you don't have a leg to stand upon to justify bringing an army here, not this morning and certainly not now that you have what you want!"

The commotion outside appeared to have died down and Bilbo could hear the sounds of Bard returning accompanied by someone else with a walking stick.

Walking stick?

She turned away from the glowering elf king and felt her face break into the widest smile as Gandalf, who looked far worse for wear that she had ever seen him, his face cut-up and bruised and he seemed to be using his staff for support as he limped into the tent after Bard.

"Gandalf!" She gasped in delight as she flew to his side.

"Oh my dear girl! Bilbo Baggins I have said this before but I will say it again, I do not believe I have ever been so glad to see anyone in all my life."

"Gandalf." She was surprised to find tears starting to swell in her eyes. "I'm glad to see you too, but… where have you been? You- you promised! You promised to meet us on the ridge, but…"

"Later my dear girl." Gandalf said sounding so very, very tired and yet like a man trying to draw upon his last strength reserves as there was more to be done, more too be accomplished before he could properly rest. "I will tell you my story later. But first," He bow his head to Thranduil who had been watching their exchange with narrowed eyes, "King Thranduil, though I must say I am surprised to see you here, with an army, I cannot begin to express how pleased I am that you and your army are here, for you will be needed in the coming days."

"Indeed." Thranduil drawled, "And what would you mean by that?"

"War." Gandalf replied, as he grasp the edge of the table his eyes closing for a moment.

"War? What do you mean?" Bard asked and Gandalf looked at him as if first truly seeing him. Bilbo would hazard a guess that the two hadn't been formerly introduced despite having walked into the tent together. She decided that rather needed to be rectified before any further talk about war could continue.

"Gandalf, this Bard, he slayed Smaug a few nights ago and is the new King of Dale." Gandalf blinked before giving a satisfied nod as he looked Bard up and down.

"Good, good." Gandalf said with a pleased tired smile.

"Bard, this Gandalf the Grey, he was the wizard I was asking you to look out for." The bowman made King greeted the wizard politely, even if the slightly overwhelmed expression had entered his eyes again. She made a quick introduction between Kathra and Gandalf – this seemed to surprise the dwarrowdam warrior but only for a moment – before bracing herself to ask the hard question.

"Gandalf," Bilbo came to cross her arms on the table beside him, "what did you mean by War?"

"Oh, yes." Gandalf shook himself with a pained expression, "War is coming. The cesspits of Dul Goldur have emptied. You are all," He looked from Elf, to Human to dwarf and hobbit, "in mortal danger."

"What are you talking about?" Bard asked through frozen lips, his eyes wide with shock and fear as his gaze flickered out the entrance of the tent to the city where his people were finishing off their chores before settling down for the long, cold night.

"I can see you know nothing of wizards." Thranduil drawled, scepticism dripping from every word, "they are like winter thunder on a wild wind rolling in from a distance, breaking hard in alarm. But sometimes a storm is just a storm."

Gandalf scowled at the elf king.

"Not this time." He growled drawing himself to his full height, "armies of orcs are on the move. And these are fighters! They have been bred for war. Our enemy has summoned his full strength."

"Why show his hand now?" Thranduil inquired, still lounging in his throne, his expression disinterested and unsympathetic while Bilbo felt as if fear itself had leapt up and wrapped a cruel hand around her throat.

"Because we forced him!" Gandalf snapped in response, "We forced him when the company of Thorin Oakenshield set out to reclaim their homeland. The dwarves were never meant to reach Erebor; Azog the Defiler was sent to kill them. His master seeks control of the mountain. Not just the treasure within, but for where it lies, its strategic position."

Gandalf started pacing the tent in agitation, running a hand over his mattered grey beard.

"This is the gateway to reclaiming the lands of Angmar in the north. If that fell kingdom should rise again, Riverdell, Lothlorien, the Shire," A pained looked was sent in her direction as a ragged little noise escaped her lips, "even Gondor itself will fall!"

Bilbo looked at Kathra whose face remained expressionless but her grip on her spear had tighten. Seeing Bilbo looking at her, the dwarrowdam nodded slowly. She would leave for Erebor the moment Bilbo signalled her to, despite her orders to remain with the hobbit and see her safely back herself.

"This orc armies you speak of, Mithrandir – where are they?" Thranduil asked, his tone low and unconvinced as he rose from his throne to pour himself a glass of wine.

"That," Gandalf admitted slowly, "I do not know. But they cannot be far away, for they left before I escaped Dul Goldur," Bilbo opened her mouth to ask but Gandalf waved her off.

"You speak of these things but you have no proof to back your claims." Thranduil replied as he sipped his wine, "if did not know better I would think you were trying to save your dwarvish friends in the mountain. But you are in luck Mithrandir, you have no need for such stories, the Halfling here has paid the debt owed by the dwarves of Erebor to my kinsfolk and we will be taking our leave as of the morrow."

"Did you not hear a word I have said?" Gandalf demanded, "An army of orcs marches towards Erebor at this very moment and you wish to simply leave it unprotected?"

"It is hardly unprotected, Mithrandir. I believe Thorin Oakenshield has an army of his own within the mountain. If the dwarves are unable to protect their own as they did with the dragon sixty years ago, then maybe they deserve to lose the mountain once more."

"You are foul and twisted!" Bilbo squeaked in outrage unable to stop herself, despite Kathra's attempt to catch her as she made to lunge at Thranduil who took a step back his eyes widening slightly in shock, "You are a loathsome, spiteful and selfish creature! How dare you say such evil things! How dare you! You who should know the grief of dragon's fire and loss of home!"

"Bilbo." Gandalf said, catching her shoulder.

"Leave!" She spat, " _Leave_! We wouldn't wish for your help anyway! I hope you rot in your halls as the world outside forgets you ever existed outside of myth!"

"Bilbo!"

"If I had my grandmother's umbrella I would box your ears!" She pulled herself free of Gandalf's grasp and stormed out of the tent, Kathra hot on her heels. Humans and elves alike stepped aside to let the heavily armoured dwarrowdam and furious hobbit pass them without issue.

"That was not wise. Brave." Kathra said as they left the city, "but unwise."

"I don't care." Bilbo rubbed her face, annoyed to feel wetness upon her cheeks from tears that had started to fall during her rant. "He is the worst of beings to ever walk upon Middle-Earth! And I've met Azog the Defiler and Smaug!"

"We do not need the elves help, little hobbit. We dwarves are good at protecting our own… it is how it has always been."

"But it shouldn't have to be that way." Bilbo sniffed as she rubbed her nose against the back of her hand.

"No, no it should not." Kathra agreed softly as they walked back to Erebor's gate, their way shown by the huge sconces that burnt on either side of the gate, "and yet that is how it is in the world."

Bilbo simply sniffed and refused to speak another word, trusting that Kathra would relay Gandalf's warning about the coming orc army.

It was selfish of her, to leave Kathra with the task, but she was so very, very tired and her bed of blankets and coats was calling for her despite her dwarves worrying over her as she came up the ladder her face still wet with furious tears and she refused to answer their questions as to how the trade with Thranduil went and what had happened to upset her so.

Thorin looked beside himself with fury, looking ready to march upon Dale with his sword and slice Thranduil in half. The looked only dissipated when Kathra started speaking of Gandalf's return and the ill news he had brought with him.

As she spoke, Bilbo slipped away to the little side room that had been claimed by Thorin and her as theirs for the interim and collapsed into a miserable pile onto their bedding.

She was asleep in moments though her dreams were far from happy and more often than not she woke to her heart racing and feeling sick to her gut. Each time she woke, Raven let a low mournful croak

She only slept well-ish when Thorin finally joined her and wrapped her in his arms and held her close during her nightmares, stroking her face when she woke in terror, soothing her frighten babbling.

She did not think either of them got a good night sleep between them.

* * *

 **23/09/2018 Author's Note:** So, this time two weeks ago, I was mourning the death of my original story thumb-drive. But as we all know, we had a happy ending to that particular story, so you would think I would be writing like mad... I haven't been.

My Grandmother passed away on Tuesday (18/09/2018) - the day before my Mum's Birthday - and I've been busy dealing with all the things that need to be done and dealt with when a family member dies and I just haven't been writing. So we've almost caught up, this chapter 19 and I'm still sort of stuck with writing chapter 21. I've had this issue before and I've managed to get a huge writing boost and have smashed out several chapters in a couple of good sittings. So fingers crossed that that's going to happen.

But yeah, that's currently where this story is sitting at the moment. It's not going to hiatus or anything, but after next Sunday depending on whether or not I've been able to get a good writing session down, there might be a little bit of a gap between updates after next week.

Thank you for reading. Hope you are all having a lovely weekend and have a good week ahead of you.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

"Did you really get into a row with Thranduil?" Kili asked her first thing the following morning, the moment she had found the energy to roll out of her nest of blankets and staggered out into the entrance hall where a meagre breakfast was still being served.

"If your definition of a row," Bilbo grumbled as she rubbed her itchy, tired eyes with the back of her hand, "is him standing there while I shouted abuse at him, than yes, yes we did."

She gratefully took the bowl of hot oats that Bombur offered to her and went and curled up on a rock next to Balin.

Her smile grew a little more real when dearest Dori handed her a cup of tea. She still missed having a real cup of tea that she could have easily made herself back in Bag End, but despite everything working against him, Dori could make a mean cuppa with what he had available.

"To have been a fly on the wall of that tent." Dwalin said in an almost dreamy fashion as he turned a wicked smile onto her.

"It wasn't _that_ impressive." Bilbo grumbled into her oats.

"That's not what we heard from Kathra." Fili beamed. "Did you truly tell him to go and rot in his halls?"

"I," Bilbo scrunched up her nose, "look I may have said some things to Thranduil last night that would probably be deemed as unwise. Or at least not very polite in respectable company." She started scowling moodily down at her oats, the memory of last night rather souring her appetite, "He deserved it though." She muttered darkly.

"Indeed. And to have his ears boxed by your grandmother's umbrella too." Bilbo jumped at Kathra's dry remark as the dwarrowdam strode past her while the rest of the company gagged.

"Wait, what?" Kili asked in glee. "Kathra! What?" He called after the dwarrowdam who continued on with her patrol of the gate without a backwards glance. "You didn't tell us Bilbo said that!" The boy twisted around to look at her eagerly, "Did you really threaten to box his ears with your grandmother's umbrella?"

Bilbo cheeks burned as she sank further into the blanket cloak she had thrown over her shoulders.

"Maybe." She mumbled as she pulled apart some jerky and held it up to Raven sitting proudly once more upon her shoulder. Raven croaked and neatly plucked the jerky from between her fingers.

"Uncle!" she jumped at Kili's delighted call, scowling at the youngster as he waved to his tired uncle who was making his way slowly over to the company from the side chamber that was the make-shift council chamber.

She didn't know how long Thorin had been awake, he had been long gone when she had woken only twenty or so minutes ago and from the looks of the shadows under his eyes, whatever sleep he had managed to get had not been particularly refreshing.

"Kili," Thorin grunted as he settle himself down on the rock beside her as Bombur handed him a bowl of oats, "You are being particularly loud this morning."

The boy blushed for maybe half a moment before he was off, telling his uncle with great delight of the latest news regarding Bilbo's apparently epic row with Thranduil.

"You threaten to box Thranduil's ears with an umbrella?" Thorin asked looking at her with a tired, but ultimately proud expression.

"My grandmother's umbrella," Bilbo corrected him as she stirred her almost cold oats in her bowl. It was strange, normally she quite liked eating warmed oats, especially with honey (though she hadn't had any honey since Beorn's), but this morning the smell and even the look of the oats in her bowl was just about enough to make her stomach turn. "was a thing to be feared throughout the entire Shire."

Thorin gave her a weary grin.

"I would have greatly enjoyed seeing you shouting at Thranduil." Thorin said softly, "His face…" he mused while Bilbo simply shook her head at the silliness of the conversation as her mind slowly remembered, quite unwillingly, the terrifying news Gandalf had brought to them last night.

"Has Gandalf come yet? Or is he still in Dale? Is- are the elves still there too? And what about the people of Lake-Town?" She could feel the terror rise inside of her as thoughts after panicked thoughts started to pop into her head, "Dale is in ruins! It'll be overrun by the Orcs when they arrive!"

"Lass…"

"Bilbo."

"Billa." Thorin's hand came to rest upon her arm, grounding her and easing her ever growing erratic breathing.

"Sorry." She gasped as she lay a hand upon her racing heart, "Sorry, I know… I'm worrying, and over-thinking everything, it just…" Raven cawed softly on her shoulder.

"The Wizard might be wrong." Dwalin grunted but he didn't sound convinced.

Thorin shook his head, his expression grim.

"No." He rumbled, "I do not believe he is." He turned to the raven on Bilbo's shoulder.

"Your wing," He said to the young bird, "it was injured by an arrow, was it not?"

The raven hesitated for a moment, before hopping down from Bilbo's shoulder and came to stand upon the top of her knee, his wing flapping slightly as he peered up at Thorin with bright beady eyes.

"Do you know who shot you?"

The Raven caw several times, head cocked to one side.

"She just assumed it was a random orc pack and thought nothing of it. She was in too much pain to pay much more attention than that." Balin translated for Bilbo and the younger dwarves who had not yet been taught the language of the Ravens.

"Oh…" Bilbo said and then froze as something simple but at the same time extremely important, "Wait… _She_? He," She pointed at the Raven who looked back at her, "is actually a she? I'm so sorry... I didn't even think, I just assumed..." She apologized to the female Raven who simply let out a caw of amusement.

"She might have been shot by a scouting party." Fili mused, though his expression was doubtful.

"Or a traversing orc pack." Gloin grunted.

"I wonder what became of our orc pack." Bilbo mumbled as she continued stirring her breakfast around her bowl.

"And why the Pale Orc left the leadership of the hunt to another." Balin added to her line of thought.

"Don't go encouraging her, Brother." Dwalin groaned when Bilbo's face lost all colour as she felt a wave of nausea wash through her.

"Aye," Balin agreed and pattered Bilbo's knee, "do not let thoughts of the Defiler's hunting party cloud your thoughts."

"Right because thinking of an approaching orc army is so much better." Bilbo wheezed, leaning forward, her arms looping around her middle as the nausea only grew within her belly.

"All will be well." Thorin said softly pressing a reassuring hand against her arm.

"You are such a terrible liar." Bilbo groaned, pressing her face into her hands, wishing for her nausea to subside.

 **888**

Gandalf arrived at Erebor gates, accompanied by Bard and Thranduil, later that morning. Bard was looking as grim as ever while Thranduil looked merely bored, astride his magnificent elk.

"Did they haveta bring the fuckening Elf with them?" Dain snorted as he and the company leant against the stone work that made up the barricade of the main gate of Erebor. "Better get your umbrella ready Lass."

Bilbo let out a weak sort of laugh before burying her face into her hands.

"Hail Thorin," Gandalf called up to them with a weary smile, "King under the Mountain. I cannot begin to express how pleased I am to see you all alive."

"Gandalf." Thorin replied sounding torn between being pleased to see the Wizard alive and well and utterly exasperated, "You're late."

The Wizard's smile fell as he scowled up at the dwarf king.

"A wizard, Thorin Oakenshield," Gandalf grumbled loud enough for them all to hear, "is never late. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to."

"Could you not have arrived precisely when you meant to, a couple of days ago?" Kili asked, his words cheeky but his face was serious.

Gandalf looked away, his expression crestfallen.

"I was… delayed." The Wizard replied, "But I come back to you now, on the wings of war. A war that can only be won by working together, joining our forces and driving the approaching evil from this land once and for all."

Bard was nodding his head slowly, glancing between Thranduil and Thorin, as was Bilbo and Gandalf.

Thorin's face was tense, his eyebrows set in a deep scowl when Thranduil remained stoically silent.

He snarled deep down in his chest before he turned his attention to Bard.

"Your woman and children are welcome to find sanctuary here in the mountain. When the orcs arrive they will attack the ruins of Dale first and the city will be overrun."

Bard stared up at him in stunned silence before indescribable relief washed over his features.

"I – thank you." Bard stuttered and Bilbo could see it was taking all of his self-control not to simply turn his horse around and ride straight back to Dale and start making preparation to move his people to Erebor.

"As we do not know when the Orcs will arrive, preparation should start to be made as soon as possible," Thorin continued and Bard nodded, the relief in his face was pure and unchecked as he took his leave of Gandalf and Thranduil, riding as fast as he could back to Dale.

Bilbo could hear sighs from around her, the calls for preparations to be made for the coming refugees. And though she could see those who were giving the order were not happy, the soldiers who were obeying moved quickly, wearing looks of actually appearing to be pleased.

It took moments like these to remind Bilbo that the thoughts and feelings shared amongst the Lords and Generals were not always the same thoughts and feeling shared by their soldiers.

While the Lords and Generals worried about the treasure and mountain they desired to keep in their possession, the soldiers had been taught to protect and fight first, above all else. And while they might not like that they were going to share the mountain with humans, the knowledge that if they did not help the humans now, they would surely be slaughtered once the Orcs arrived, and that was enough for the dwarf soldiers to put aside their worries for their treasure, their grudges over the past and move quickly and efficiently to make room for the humans, for however long they stayed.

Gandalf nodded with approval while Thranduil continued to look up at them with stone-y eyes, which Thorin scowled right back at him.

"Enough of this," Gandalf growled when he saw what was occurring between the two kings, "now is not the hour for the pair of you to be petty with each other. Let the past go, at least for the time being. If you do not fight together, then we shall all perish and the fell kingdom of Angmar will rise again and much of Middle-Earth will fall beneath its terrible shadow."

"We have no need for the help of elves to protect what is ours." Thorin growled and Bilbo sighed, rubbing her temple.

"Agreed." Thranduil replied with a sneer.

Gandalf rather looked as if he would very much like to smack both kings over the head with his staff.

"Be that as it may, the risks are far too great for talk such as that! The only sure way for us to win this coming war is for elves, dwarves and men to join forces. Only by being a united front do we truly stand a chance against this great and terrible threat."

"I'll be dead before I fight side by side with an elf!" Roared one of Dain's general, his sentiment echoed by many upon the gate.

"We're doomed." Bilbo moaned in despair.

"You will surely die if you do not!" Gandalf barked. "As will a good many others because of your pride. Now is not the time for age-old grudges and prejudices. You were allies once, were you not?" Gandalf looked between the two kings.

"Indeed," Thorin replied easily, his word filled with ancient rage beneath cold steel, "up until the moment he turn his back on my people and their suffering, and did nothing to help them once Smaug had taken Erebor from us."

The roaring from the dwarves was almost deafening causing for Bilbo to press her fingers into her ears, so that she missed Thranduil's reply. Whatever it was did little if nothing to appease the raging dwarves around her.

Bilbo rubbed her temple and wondered if anyone would notice if she simply up and left as clearly this was going to take a while and she was already feeling rather ill in her stomach without adding a headache on top.

So while the dwarves and Thranduil yelled insults at each other and Gandalf acted as thoroughly frustrated and utterly fed-up mediator, Bilbo did the sensible thing and went down to help the soldiers with the preparations for the human refugees.

Not at all surprised when she was shortly joined by Bofur, Bifur and Bombur, the Ri brothers and Oin.

While Oin went about his make-shift infirmary with a group of helpers to make sure he was prepared for any injured among the humans, the rest of them helped with setting up areas for the humans to sleep.

There was also a group of dwarves whose task appeared to be sealing off areas – corridors that might lead, while not quite directly, to Smaug's bedroom – leading off into Erebor from the Main Entrance hall.

To the point where Bilbo wondered out loud if maybe the group had done their job too well and that the dwarves themselves would be unable to leave the entrance hall.

She had received a few amused chuckles for that comment, with several of dwarves replying that she had such little faith in them, before whispering in hushed tones, that while she and the humans might find it difficult to leave the entrance hall and the rooms leading off it deemed fine for the humans to use, any dwarf worth their beard would easily be able to come and go as they wished.

Bilbo looked back at the nearest block doorway with a speculative expression, before simply deciding to accept that explanation she had been given as it was as good as one as she was going to get.

888

It was just coming on dusk when the first of the refugees from Lake-Town walked through the now cleared gate and into the entrance hall of Erebor, their eyes wide with wonder as they looked around them. For even in its current ruined state, Erebor was still impressive to behold and Bilbo couldn't help but feel a small surge of pride course through her when she saw the looks of awe upon the faces of the humans.

The dwarves, despite their previous grumblings, were surprisingly welcoming to the humans, directing to them chambers that had been designated as sleeping areas or storage rooms where they could safely tuck their few possession away in.

All the food that the humans had brought with them; their own that they had managed salvage or the supplies gifted by the elves, were immediately put alongside the dwarves rations, lifting some of the weight that had been sitting heavily upon her shoulders lifted a little, for now the food supply actually looked as if it would last them more than a few days.

 _And if we're smart about it, try and preserve some of the fresh food, we may even be able to make it all last even longer_ , she thought from where she had hidden herself away in a doorframe.

She had hidden herself here more to be out of the way, than any general worry of the refugees of Lake-Town holding a grudge against her.

She knew some still did.

She had seen it in their eyes with each trip she had made to Dale, the offer of her share of the gold had not eased her guilt in their eyes for her part in Smaug attacking and destroying their town.

It matter not that she had not meant for any of that to happen, that she and her dwarves had done everything in their power to not allow for that to happened, what mattered was that it had and if they had only left well enough alone, then the people of Lake-Town would still have their homes, would not be having to find refuge with dwarves in a ruined dwarven city.

She curled herself further against the doorway as she watched a group of children enter by themselves, the youngest appearing to be no more than babe, her fist pressed against her mouth as she walked alongside a tall dark skinned boy, who kept a tight grip upon her hand as he glared furiously as anyone and everyone, including members of his own fallen town.

His dark eyes found hers and the glare he sent her way was furious and filled with such hate, that it left Bilbo almost breathless and filled her with such unspeakable regret and guilt that she rather felt like throwing up.

She rubbed a hand against her uneasy belly and turned away from the entrance hall, wanting nothing more than to slip on her silly little ring and flee to her bench.

The Raven on her shoulder cawed softly and rubbed her head against Bilbo's cheek. The pain in Bilbo's chest eased a little with the gesture, though her stomach still rolled uncomfortably.

She made her way to back to the long outer walkway where her bench was situated, clambering up the fallen rocks that had collapsed upon the walkway long ago.

She rested her elbows upon the rock and stared out over the landscape that lay beyond Erebor, towards Dale, the city now empty of humans, but still populated by elves.

She didn't know what Thranduil plan was. Why did he still remained when he had made it clear that he had no wish to assist the dwarves (and humans) with the battle ahead. But remained he and his elves had, stationed around the walls of Dale. She didn't know if it was a smart plan for the elves to simply remain in the ruin city, but what did she know, she was not one who possessed a mind for such things as battle strategies.

She was pulled from her thoughts by her Raven cawing loudly near her ear, causing her to jump.

The cry was met with returning caws and Bilbo felt her heart stutter at the sight of three raven, slightly bigger than the raven sitting upon her shoulder.

 _It's fine_ , she told herself firmly as the ravens fluttered down upon the stones near to where she was leaning.

"Ah… good evening." She stammered, giving a small bow of her head to the three ravens.

The ravens blinked at her, their dark eyes seeming to see right into her soul. The raven upon her shoulder hopped down, cawing softly, her head cocked to one side.

Bilbo watched with interest as the four ravens appeared to have a very involved conversation, her raven was hopping up and down with agitation.

After a while the ravens attention moved from each other, their conversation appearing to have come to ahead, and suddenly she had eight pairs of black eyes staring up at her.

"Um… yes?" She asked feeling her skin crawl at the prolong gaze upon her by the four black birds.

Her raven hopped back to her side and started plucking at her, gently with her beak.

"What?" Bilbo asked, pulling back and away from the raven, her eyes wide, "What is it? I don't have any food." She paused, "I could get you some, I suppose." But the raven shook her head and started plucking at Bilbo's clothes again.

Bilbo stood, frozen on the spot, trying to calm her discomfort as the raven continued plucking at her clothes, pulling bits and bobs from her pockets, random little things that she had found during her adventures that had interested her or simply found pretty.

 _Lucky I didn't start collecting things in my pocket until after we left the Misty Mountains, or I would have been a meal for Gollum_ , she thought as she watched pebbles, shells (from the depths of the pocket of the coat she had been given in Lake-Town), her acorn from Beorn's garden, her bugling notebook and her pencil fall to the stone floor.

She had shooed the raven away when she started plucking at the secret pocket where the Arkenstone was hidden, but almost as quickly as she started to shoo, her raven was hopping to ground, picking up Bilbo's very stubby pencil in her beak while also pushing Bilbo's notebook towards her.

Frowning Bilbo, picked up her notebook and took her pencil from the raven.

"Um… yes?" She asked uncertainly as she lay her book upon the stone, pencil in hand.

Her raven seemed to sigh, before hopping forward and plucked her book open, peaking her beak when she had found an blank page, right near the back of Bilbo's notebook.

"You want to write something?" She was given a hard look, "you want _me_ to write something?" she asked feeling so very, very silly towards this whole one-sided conversation and the fact that she just did not know what the ravens wanted of her.

Sticking a finger to mark the place of the blank page as the raven started flicking back through her book, right to the front, and started tapping her beak against the sketch she had drawn of Hobbition, more specifically of The Hill and Bagshot Row.

"Yes, um, that is my home. Hobbiton. Um, I guess, you could say Hobbiton is the capital of the Shire." She was babbling but given that she was having a conversation with a bird – a very intelligent bird, she would give the raven that – who seemed to be very intent on getting her to understand whatever it was trying to tell her as it flicked between the two pages, the one of Hobbiton and the other of blank page.

"You… want me to write home?" She guessed her voice somewhat small and a little meek because she really did think the birds were starting to seriously judge her intelligence.

Her raven cawed excited, hopping up and down happily while Bilbo just stared at her, finding herself to be only more confused.

"Why-why would you want me to write home? Hobbits cannot help with this coming battle. We're-we're not warriors. We can't fight! We're ridiculous when it comes to fighting! The closest hobbits come to fighting is drunken brawls and usually those end because the hobbits involved have fallen on their arses… on their own accord. We eat and drink, we like to party; to sing and dance. We don't fight, we-we make things grow."

The ravens cawed as one, nodding their head as Bilbo felt her mouth slowly fall open with realisation.

"You want me to write home… to ask for seeds and things to be sent to help grow food around Erebor once more?" She asked the ravens tentatively.

The four ravens nodded their black heads as one and Bilbo felt a small swell of warmth fill her chest as having finally, finally figured out what the ravens wanted of her.

"So if I write this letter, are you imply that one of you will take it to Shire? To Bag End? Actually you should probably take this to The Gaffer. He's my garden and one of my most trusted friends. He and his family live at Number Three, Bagshot Row… actually would you like me to write that down? Am I saying too much? I am, aren't I? I…"

She was pulled from her rambling by a soft tapping upon her hand by her raven, who cawed gently before she moved to tapping her beak against the blank page.

"Yes, sorry, thank you. Um, right…"

Once upon a time, Bilbo had been rather good at penning letters. Good in that she could offer sound advice for most questions that were asked of her, though her letters left much to be desired when it came to gossiping.

This letter however, was proving to be the most difficult letter that she had ever tried to write. Every time she went to start it, she found her hand unable to write, her mind blank of words.

How did one write such a letter as this?

Asking for so much, and in return, she had so very little to offer other than confirming that she was alive, and only at the time of writing this letter. When the Gamgees received her letter, who knew. The battle that Gandalf claimed was coming would be deciding so many fates, including whether or not this letter would be worthwhile or not.

A tap against her hand made her glance away from the blank page to her raven, her black eyes seeming to say, _'nothing is set in stone. Plant the seed and hope the flower grows.'_

"Smart bird." Bilbo mumbled, as she cautiously and very gently ran a finger against the side of raven's head. The raven leant her head against Bilbo's finger for a moment before gesturing her beak towards the blank page.

It was still a struggle for her to write her letter. She scrambled to put her thoughts into an ordered fashion, deciding to dwell less upon her adventure and instead, spent the majority of her letter explaining Erebor's and Dale's situation, the lack of any kind of plant-life due to a great fire, the need for seeds (preferably vegetables and fruits), gardening tools and the special plant mixture that The Gaffer used upon all the gardens under his care that made the plants grow so magnificently.

She allowed herself, once she had finished her letter, to read it over just twice as by the second read she could feel the desire to change this, move that, add in this.

"No." She told herself firmly, "Enough. It is fine." She folded her letter carefully, printed the Gamgee's address clearly upon the folded blank side of the paper before cautiously holding it out towards her raven.

Her raven gently knocked her hand into the direction of the three bigger ravens, the biggest hopping forward and neatly plucked the letter from between her fingers, clutching it closely within its beak.

"Thank you, so very much." She said softly as she blinked back the unexpected sting of tears that was building behind her eyes.

The ravens nodded to her and then they took off into the dusk, the cool evening wind blowing against Bilbo's cheeks as she watched them fly into the growing darkness until they disappeared from view.

"Thank you." She said to the raven, who cawed happily, her chest puffing forward, clearly quite proud of herself.

"I… I don't know why you… why?" Bilbo stammered staring at the raven in disbelief, warmth curling gently in her chest because of raven's unbelievable kindness.

The raven simply cawed before hopping back up to her shoulder, rubbing her head gently against Bilbo's chilly, tear stained cheek.

Bilbo sniffed and rubbed her nose which had started to drip because of the cold and from the emotion within her heart.

"I need to know your name." She sniffed, "You have a name do you not? Or… could I give you one?" She asked a little cautiously.

The raven seemed to think for a moment before giving a small nod in her head,

"Would that be alright? For me to give you a name? I don't wish to offend you or your kind, but I also know that some races are protective of their names and I didn't…"

She felt a light tap on her cheek and forced herself to take a deep breath.

"How bout… Elwing? She was a great elven lady, the granddaughter of Luthien and Beren in fact. She was able to turn herself into a great white swan. Oh… but she is Lord Elrond's mother, so that might be a little strange. Also you're a Raven, so maybe… hmmm…" she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "And maybe you do not wish for an elven name, as you are a bird allied with dwarves?" She asked this a little gingerly and was relieved when the raven simply shrugged her wings, looking to be not offended in the least.

Bilbo chewed on her lip for a moment, before slowly, from the very depths of her memories, a name whispered forward. It was a name from her childhood, mentioned in one of mother's story, one of the few stories her mother had told that involved hobbits.

It had been tale revolving around a hard winter – the hardest to be felt before the Fell Winter – and how the Shire had been saved from devastation by an unusual raven hair lass who had outwitted the evil and corrupt Winter Fae-King who had kidnapped the Summer Fae-Queen.

Bilbo had been rather fond of this particular tale as a child, it being one of the few heroic stories (even if it was only a fae-tale) that involved hobbits and best of all, a hobbit lass and so, held it close to her heart. The name of the raven-haired lass had also been… well, it had been a name that she had thought to maybe name her daughter, if she ever had one, even if the child was not born with black hair. That was, of course, before her mother's death and Bilbo had fallen victim to the superstition that most Hobbits held towards Ravens.

"How bout…" She took another deep breath before saying in a soft voice, "How do you like 'Brena' for a name? Where I am from, it means 'Little Raven'. It isn't… it isn't a name that is used very frequently, for you see, we hobbits are a bit silly and we do associate your kind with death and ill omens. But in saying that, we still… Brena was a hobbit lass in fae-tale who possessed beautiful black hair, raven hair and she saved the whole Shira with her wits and charm and…" she stumbled off blushing, feeling once more silly and foolish for having a conversation whom she could not speak their own language with even though the Raven clearly understood her perfectly.

The Raven cawed softly, lightly flapping her beautiful black wings, her chest once more puffed out and she looked quite pleased.

"Oh... do you like it?" another caw and an elegant nod of her head.

"Oh," Bilbo felt her cheeks heat upon once more, though this time with pleasure. "Oh, alright then. Brena it is."

Brena cawed cheerfully and together the two re-entered the halls of Erebor where it seemed the dwarves had more or less helped all the people of Lake-Town – and maybe, soon to be Dale – to be settled into Erebor and food was now cooking and talk was filling the air, some of it about the coming battle, but most… most was just cautious questions being asked between the two races who had not spent a great deal of time around each other for well over half a century. And from the looks of it, the conversations being shared between human and dwarves appeared to be going… rather well, given the circumstances.

"Where didja sneak off to?" Bofur asked as she snuck up to the company's side – causing Gloin to swear loudly and rather verbally in Dwarvish – he received many a sharp rap to his head from various members of the company, despite Bilbo not really understanding a word he had spluttered and yelled out – when he finally noticed her standing at his side.

"Oh," She shrugged carefully, mindful of Brena's warm weight, "just up to my bench." She bit her lip, "Was I needed for something?"

"Nah," Bofur lightly rapped her skull with his knuckles, "just wondering where ya were at. Shouldn't worry though, not when ya always come back whenever ya disappear." He gave her a wide wink and a knowing grin that had her pouting and laughing all in the same breath.

Thorin and the boys joined them soon after. Thorin was more or less himself, if a little grey in the face and maybe a bit more distracted and jumpy than Bilbo necessarily liked but he was enough of himself that she forced herself not to worry so.

And when Gandalf finally came to join, his expression so very tired but showing genuine relief and delight to see all the dwarves (and hobbit) very much alive and well, Bilbo worry for Thorin and for the coming wars was put to the side as she was made to stand up and tell Gandalf of their adventures since he left (abandon had been cough amongst the dwarves) them on the outskirts of Mirkwood.

While there were moments during her tale that had Gandalf frowning, either at what she was saying or at a particular dwarf (usually Thorin… actually it was almost always directed at Thorin. To which he readily returned), whenever she was prodded to elaborate just how clever she had been – singing to distract the spiders (she had tried to point out that she hadn't been much help when they were being caught – her self-depreciation was waved away), her finding a way to rescue the dwarves from Thranduil's Realm by use of barrels ("It took me quite a long time, though," she had added guilty. She was again told to hush and to not be so hard on herself) and her sneaking into Smaug's bedroom and finding the Arkenstone without waking the dragon himself.

Gandalf had looked mighty pleased when she had told him this, his expression becoming rather smug to which Thorin in return let out a long suffering sigh.

He nodded his head when she told him of the events that led up and taken place in the Iron Hills before they returned to Erebor. He looked mildly exasperated when he heard their original plan for killing Smaug. He looked downright thunderous when Bilbo, rather sheepishly, her gaze more often than not directed at her feet, admitted to her battle of wits she had engaged in with Smaug.

"Bilbo Baggins!" Gandalf grumbled hotly as he smoke angrily upon his pipe, "just how many books have you read in your life that have said, in very clear print, that getting into a battle of wits with a dragon is a terrible idea and should not, under any circumstances be tried."

"Yes, well," she rubbed the back of her neck, as she was now fully aware of the foolishness of her action. As well as the consequences. Her stomach dropped as the guilt inside her soared. "It had… at the time, seemed like quite a clever idea… at the time."

Gandalf frustration towards her seemed to fade with her curling into herself, hugging her arms close around her body. The dwarves around her glared fiercely at the wizard, with the most ferocious being directed from Thorin, who, much to Gandalf surprise, had actually gotten up and moved to stand protectively by the hobbit lass.

Gandalf eyed the two of them closely, taken aback by just how protective the dwarven king appeared to be of the company's hobbit and how without even thinking about it, Bilbo seemed to gravitate into Thorin's direction.

This was… a very unexpected development indeed.

The last time he had seen the two, on the edge of Mirkwood, they had appeared to be building an uneasy friendship, with Thorin being far more tolerable towards Bilbo and Bilbo in return had become a little less skittish when she was near the dwarf king.

He had not been gone so long to have missed such a jump in their… whatever this was. And yet, obviously he had because the dwarves around them did not seem to think anything odd of their king standing so close and protectively to their hobbit. And Bilbo herself seemed to relax and find comfort in having Thorin near.

 _And here I was_ , Gandalf thought with a small sigh, _with my coin set upon Bofur as being the fellow who would win Bilbo's heart._

Well, Belladonna had always said he had not the eye for match-making. Or romance in general, as he had, for a very long time, failed to understand her love for Bungo Baggins.

He understood love on a whole, in fact, he liked to think he had a fairly good grasp on the whole concept, far better than Saruman. But when it came to romantic love, the love shared between two people, two people who were so very different from each other, like Belladonna and Bungo Baggins… like Bilbo and Thorin, Gandalf found himself quite out of his depths.

 _But_ , he thought as the two of them settled down next to each other and Bilbo finished telling him all (though he was very certain that that was not all, at all. There was still the question of how Bilbo had managed to remain undetected for so long within the Woodland Realm that bothered him) that had happened to the company, bring him up to date with their adventure, _they seem happy enough_.

Bilbo finished her tale with a large yawn, blushing for a moment before deciding she was too tired to be truly embarrassed and despite wanting to ask Gandalf where he had been and why had he been gone for so long (and why did he look like he had looked death in the face, barely escaping within an inch of his life), she was simply too tired. She would ask him in the morning.

If there was time.

No, no there would be, there would be time.

With another yawn, she waved her good night to everyone before letting herself be guided to bed by Thorin.

She flopped onto the bed of blankets, only vaguely aware of Brena taking herself off to perch on a nearby sconce, as she snuggled down into a cocoon of warmth. She was asleep in moments.

* * *

 **30/09/2018 Author's Note:** So unfortunately as of this chapter we have caught up to what I have written for this fic so far. I just haven't felt motivated to write much at the moment. I know what I want to write, I just can't seem to get it right on the page. Very annoying, given how close we are to the end of this fic.

This chapter gave me a lot of issues, it sat in limbo for so long until something just clicked (it was the Ravens that suddenly made everything start flowing again), so I'm hoping the same thing will happen with chapter 21 and the following chapters.

Hopefully, that will be the case and you will have an update next Sunday, other wise, please be patient with me, September has been a particularly rough month and all constructive writing has been all but nonexistent.

Thank you for reading. Reviews and Comments are appreciated and might just help the writing juices flow if I know people are reading this fic and you know, enjoying and want to see it concluded.

Hope you are all having a nice weekend and a good week ahead of all of you.


	21. Chapter 21

**7/03/2020 Author's Note:** Hi. So, I know it's been awhile, something like two years (30 of September 2018 if you wish to be exact), since I last posted a chapter for this fic, but I was watching Battle of Five Armies on TV tonight (I still cried, even after all these years) and something stirred me that wanted to post chapters that were already written (and had been written for years) and were jusy sitting on my USB gathering metaphorical dust.

I don't know how many of you are still interested in this fic (or in my others; The Most Precious of Treasures or Home is Behind, the World Ahead - which I updated only a little while ago if anyone is interested), but if you wish to leave a review to let me know, I will see what I can do. But I do understand that it has been a few years and people do move on.

Anyway, thank you for reading these Author's Notes and hope you enjoy this chapter... Anyone remember Athura? We're hanging out with her this chapter.

* * *

 **Chapter Twenty-One**

Athura rode ahead of the Iron Hill's army, her eyes set upon the massive lone mountain that rose in the distance before them. From around her she can hear the quiet talk of soldiers, but she does not contribute anything to their conversation, politely turning down offers of inclusion. She knows what most are speaking of and she would rather keep her own thoughts on the matter to herself.

She was, in a way, glad that she had heard about it first in a letter from her father; even if it had been written in a bitter, harsh tone that had made her heart break just that little bit more.

She knew that Thorin had found another, had even suspected that it was his company's burglar who now possessed his heart. But there was quite a difference between suspecting the truth, to being told in a cold, bitter fashion as it had been in her father's letter.

She had cried herself to sleep that night she had received the letter, the night before she and the rest of the Iron Hill's army were to set out to Erebor.

The following morning Runora had patted her arm sympathetically, having obviously received a similiar letter from Dain informing her of Thorin's attachment to the hobbit lass and asked her if she was alright.

And even now, three days on, Athura has no idea what her answer is to Runora's question.

Is she alright?

No, no she isn't but at the same time she feels an immense sense of guilt over the thought that she isn't fine with the idea of Thorin being in love with another, a halfling no less.

She had no right to feel hurt regarding the news that Thorin was in love with another. No right to feel betrayed or rejected.

When they had met again a few weeks ago, she had felt a little ember of hope start to burn in her heart when all he had been able to do was stare at her, unable to properly form words.

And then afterwards simply looked at her with sad eyes, sapphire holding old pain and love. But then the hope had spluttered when Thorin's attention was turned to the hobbit lass, the company's burglar, who was clearly adored by his fellow dwarves.

She had watched him watch her, the way his eyes remained train on her as the halfling had looked around Iron Hill's city with wonder, or the way she shied away when an unfriendly look was thrown her way – his scowl was frightening whenever this happened, his expression clearly showing a desire to protect the fragile little woman with bare, hairy feet.

And in return, the halfling would meet his gaze in an unguarded fashion, a tentative smile playing upon her lips and unquestionable warmth and affection for him filling her bright brown eyes.

Even before Thorin had revealed that there was another in his life, Athura had known it was this woman. But even though she had known this, she had still tried to reach out to him, to show him that she still cared and wanted, oh how she still wanted, from the very depths of her heart, to be his wife and queen.

He had been gentle, surprisingly so, for she remembered his pain and rage when he had been told of the breaking of their betrothal by her father, remembered how he had begged her – and Thorin was one who did not beg, not unless he was utterly desperate – to come with him and what was left of his kin, promising fervently that one day they would reclaim Erebor and avenge all who had been slaughter in Smaug's desolation.

But she had refused, tears streaming down her face, she had refused him, and left him to go with her father to Iron Hills and married another – who was not him, could never be him – and bore him a son before becoming a widow far too early in her life when her husband was killed by a random mining accident. The mines roof had caved in and her husband had received a deadly blow to his skull.

She had cried for a solid week and mourned for a year, but her heart was a treacherous thing.

She had loved her late husband, but not nearly so well as she had loved Thorin.

And now she could not stop herself but wonder if the love she bore for him was far greater than what he had ever felt towards her.

How else could he come to love another while her heart still beat for him?

It hurt and there was a part of her that felt angry, so angry and betrayed but then along would come the guilt, festering within her and she is right back where she started, lost and confused, hurt by actions that she committed against the two of them.

If she had been stronger, braver, she would not be in the situation that she was in now.

Her father's letter tells her that she must try and win Thorin back and though her heart wants this more than anything; her head tells her that this is not possible, not now, not with the halfling woman in his life and within his heart.

The crueller part of Athura does not understand what could possibly have drawn and held Thorin's interest when it came to the halfling woman.

For one thing she was a Halfling, a gentle race of creatures whispered to be cousins of fae-folk, soft and with no useful skill other than a keen ability for growing plants. A tiny thing with large hairy feet that were always bare and dirty, no facial hair to speak of but a mop of wild golden brown curls adorning the top of her head.

Her face was not a thing of beauty, though Athura supposed her expressive brown eyes were noteworthy, the way the colour seemed to shift to different shades of brown with the Halfling's moods. And her smile, even when it wasn't being directed at Thorin – which had been a soft, fond smile, slightly shy and tentative, but true and heartfelt – was a feature that lit up her whole face.

The Halfling woman did appear to be intelligent if nothing else, able to hold her own against others who would consider themselves her superior – and secretly Athura had rather enjoyed the Halfling woman putting her father and several other members of Lord Dain's council in their places – and she seemed to have unquenchable thirst for knowledge.

And while Athura knew from their childhood and early adulthood that Thorin had never been what one might consider a scholar of any kind, he had always valued and admired folk who did possess great intelligence and wisdom.

So maybe it was the Halfling's intelligence that had drawn him to her.

 _Or she can play an instrument very well_ , Athura thought rather glumly. Thorin had a great love for music. She did not know how many hours she had spent simply listening to him play his harp. She had tried to learn herself but her fingers were fated to create intricate pieces of jewellery, not playing beautiful melodies upon an instrument.

Athura sighed heavily, the sadness in her chest weighing her down painfully.

 _But I will be polite_ , she told herself firmly, _I will be gracious and I will not let my pain or jealousy show. I will reserve my judgement on whether she is worthy of him when I know her better._

For the last thing she wished was to cause Thorin more sorrow and pain. She had caused him enough for this lifetime.

She would tell her father to his face that she would have no part in his plot to try and break the relationship between their king and his burglar. If their relationship was not meant to be, then it would end upon its own accord, without outside interference from her Lordly father and his dwarves.

Her coming to Erebor was not to try and ensnare the king, but to aid with the rebuilding of the dwarven city, her home, and to assist with any defences it might require against any enemies who are surely looking upon Erebor with greedy eyes.

Nothing more, nothing less.

She nodded to herself firmly before straightening her shoulders and throwing her head back tall with her gaze set firmly upon Erebor, the mountain growing ever closers with each step her pony took.

 **888**

In times long gone by, Ravenhill had been the proud ancestral home to all the Ravens' of Erebor. But like many on that awful, awful day, when Smaug took the Lonely Mountain for his own, their home was lost, partially destroyed and reluctantly abandoned.

With passing of sixty years, there no longer lived a Raven who remembered a time when Ravenshill was known to them as home. So while they had returned to Erebor eagerly, they were still hesitant to return to the ruin remains of their ancient home.

Instead they had taken to making temporary homes upon the outer city walls of Erebor, until such a time as the dwarven King had fulfilled his promise with the restoration of their ancestral home.

And it was for this reason and this reason alone, that a scouting party, sent ahead of Azog's army were able to hide themselves in the ruins of Ravenshill, to observe the comings and goings of the Lonely Mountain and prepare as they waited for the rest of the army from Dol Guldur to arrive.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** So the main reason I never posted this chapter previously is because, as you might have guessed, it's kind of a filler chapter. It has important snippets of info in it as well as some foreshadowing for things to come, but otherwise, yeah filler. And I felt bad for years over the idea of posting a filler chapter after so long an absence, but no matter how I tried to get around it, I need this chapter for the snippets of info and the foreshadowing I mention previously. Anyway, as you can see, I decided to just bite the bullet and posted the damn thing because I am in a weird mood and I need to feel as if I'm accomplishing something in my life right now. And BotFA's has seriously messed with my emotions.

Anyway, once again, thank you for reading. As always, reviews are deeply appreciated


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